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PERKINS  LIBRARY 

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Kare  Dooks 


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^L-Vry^t     ~JTirL'-<y^. 


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OURSTORY 

OF 

ATLANTIS. 


Written  down  for  the 


HERMETIC    BROTHERHOOD 


By  W.   P.   PHELON,    M.  D. 

Author    of    "THREE  SEVENS";    "HEALING,   CAUSES  AND 
EFFECT";    "  LOVE,  SEX,  IMMORTALITY."    Etc 


SAN     FRANCI«^CO,    CALIF. 
HERMETIC     BOOK    CONCERN. 

IQOJ. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1903,  by 
W.  P.  PHELON.  M.  D. 

in  the  ofSce  of  the  Librarian   of   Congress   at  Washington,   D.  C. 
All  rights  reserved. 


■LACK  OAT  FRItl,   40X  M'ALLSTER  ST.,  S.  F. 


FOREWORD. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  an  author  in  these 
later  days,  always  to  be  able  to  say,  he 
writes  of  his  own  knowledge.  This  has  be- 
come a  recognized  fact.  He  may  write  from 
another's  experience,  in  whose  honesty  and 
reliability,  he  has  as  much,  and  sometimes 
more  confidence,  than  in  his  own  personal 
sense.  This  is  the  case  with  this  little  book, 
treating  of  a  subject  of  interest  to  the  whole 
world,  to-day.  For  six  years  I  have  had  the 
MSS.  almost  ready  for  the  printer.  Now, 
with  the  encouragement  and  helping  hand 
of  my  Dear  Comrades  of  the  Hermetic 
Brotherhood,  I  am  bid  to  let  it- go  forth. 
May  it  be  a  help  to  the  ONCE  ATLAN- 
TIAN  BORN,  wherever  they  may  be. 

W.  P.  PHELON,  M.  D. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

Poem,  "Lost  Atlantis."  Why  is  this  book  written? 
Authorities  pointing  to  the  existence  of  a  former 
Continent  and  City.  Definite  assertions  of  destruc- 
tion by  deluge,  of  an  island  Continent,  positively 
declared.  Testimony  of  the  whirling  straws,  the 
flotsam  and  jetsam  of  the  day.  Concurrent  evidence 
of  the  existence  and  influence  of  these  people  on  our 
civilization.     Page    i 

CHAPTER  n. 

Poem,  "Atlantian  Memories."  Continued  cross- 
examination  of  witnesses,  human  and  divine,  con- 
cerning the  facts  in  evidence  of  the  existence  of 
Atlantis  Island  and  City.  Description  of  mountains, 
cities,  caves,  and  other  evidences  of  occupation  by 
civilized  and  enlightened  people.  Speculations  and 
deductions  of  the   Past,   Present  and  Future.     Page 

25- 

CHAPTER   HI. 

Beginning  of  a  voyage.  The  attractive  stranger. 
Acquaintance  ripens  rapidly.  "Such  a  face  as  child- 
ren love  and  scoundrels  hate."  An  eloquent  and  in- 
structive talker.  Atlantian  memories  seem  to  the 
new  friend,  personal  experiences.  The  wonderful 
cities  of  the  Past  that  have  disappeared.  The  little 
black-lettered  manuscript  in  a  strange  language. 
History  of  Atlantis.  "Your  desire  for  information 
on  these  lines  will  be  gratified."     Pagb»4I. 

CHAPTER   IV. 

The  student  and  master  of  the  Cabala.  The 
solving  of  the  problem.  The  odd  volume  from  the 
Boston  second-hand  book  store.     The  Fourth  Con- 


vi  CONTENTS 

tinent ;  its  predecessors  and  successors.  Atlas  and 
Lemuria.  The  calm  of  the  waters.  Visit  to  the  tower 
of  the  Atlantian  Temple.  The  chambers  of  the 
three,  five  and  seven.  The  secret  depositary  and  the 
"nice  bit  of  rock :  looks  a  little  water-worn  though." 
What  it  can  tell.     Page  57. 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  meeting  of  the  Potent  Three.  The  box  in 
charg?,  opens,  revealing  the  only  record  extant,  of 
the  most  potent  nation  ever  dwelling  upon  the 
Earth.     Page  76. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  record  made  up  by  Tlana,  Scribe  of  the 
Mighty  Three,  29,000  B.  C.  Description  of  the 
country,  its  inhabitants  and  wonderful  fertility.  The 
nation's  desire  for  Gold,  predicted  will  bring  disasters 
upon  the  whole.  The  Etheric  force — power  of 
though  known  to  the  Magi.     Page  81. 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

Continuation  of  the  MSS.  of  "THE  WHITE 
CITY,  THE  CITY  RISING  FROM  THE  SEA." 
Eight  years  to  infancy ;  eight  years  to  boyhood ; 
eight  years  to  young  manhood,  and  a  thousand  years 
to  learing  of  the  invisible  and  real.     Page  93. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Further  explanation  of  manners  and  customs. 
Women  physically  the  equals  of  men.  Why?  Per- 
fection is  beauty.  Sickness  unknown.  Only  class 
distinction  is  founded  upon  knowledge.  The  GREAT 
TEMPLE^a  perfect  symbol  of  THE  ONE.  Page 
106. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Golden  Rule  has  always  been  the  same.  Our 
brother's   keeper.      All    rough,   heavy   work   done   by 


CONTENTS  vii 

Elemental  force.  The  Magi  go  hence,  when  they 
will.  We  know  Atlantis  is  the  fairest  city  on  this 
Continent.     Page  113. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Description  of  the  Temple.  Its  situation.  The 
great  plateau.  Its  parts  and  uses.  The  routine 
services  of  a  day.  The  Sun  the  symbol  of  the  One. 
No  sacrifices  of  living  beings,  to  blood-thirsty 
Deities.    Page  118. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Continuation  of  the  description  of  the  Temple 
Ceremonies,  and  explanations  of  their  relations  to 
the  returning  Occult  knowledge  of  the  present  time. 
Page  138. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Atlantian  system  of  instruction.  "The 
Eleventh  Commandment"  and  its  meaning.  The 
body  is  nothing !  The  soul  of  the  Ego  is  every- 
thing.    Page  145. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Details  of  the  great  Tower  and  its  uses.  The 
"Superior  Wisdom,"  and  the  "Inferior  Wisdom," — 
their  positions  and  relations  to  each  other.  The 
cause  of  the  final  overthrow.     Page  154. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Chambers  of  the  Three,  Five,  Seven  and  Fifteen; 
their  furnishings  and  uses,  and  how  they  affected  the 
Nation  and  the  whole  world.     Page  160. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Chamber  of  the  Forty-five.  Its  interior.  Its 
use.     Description  of  the  method  of  the  transmission 


viii  CONTENTS 

of  Instruction.  The  wonderful  play  of  visible  form 
and  color,  never  equaled  elsewhere  in  the  whole 
world,  before  or  since.  Supremely  dominant  now, 
in  the  affairs  of  the  world.     Page  174. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Cellars  of  the  Great  Elemental  Mint  and 
Treasury,  under  the  Temple.  Their  occupants,  uses 
and  the  influences  upon  the  State  and  world,  then  and 
now.  Date  of  the  opening  of  these  Treasuries  to  the 
inspection  of  the  Temple  Inspector.     Page  186. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Treasury  of  the  Temple;  its  contents  and 
uses.    Page  194. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Concerning  Convocations.  The  kinds  and  meth- 
ods of  calling  and  their  uses  and  influence  even 
upon  the  world  of  to-day.    Page  197. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Messiah  that  must  come  is  a  nation  and  not 
an  individual.  It  was  the  stone  cut  out  of  the 
mountain  without  hands.  For  this  work  and  wait. 
Page  203. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

We,  as  Atlantians,  did  not  break  the  law ;  but  we 
made  a  mistake.  For  our  ignorance,  we  suffered. 
The  instrument  cannot  be  superior  to  the  Maker 
and  User.    Page  210. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Corroborating  evidence  from  the  news  of  the 
present  day,  as  it  comes  to  the  ears  of  the  "Watchers 
on  the  Walls," — Atlantis,  Egypt,  India.     Page  214. 


OUR    STORY    OF 
ATLANTIS. 


F 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  LOST  ATLANTIS. 

AIR  Atlantis,  peerless  country! 
Lulled  within  the  Ocean's  arms, 
Lying  beautiful  and  shining 
Fan  beneath  the  storm's  alarms  ; 
Never  has  a  plague  come  near  thee ; 
In  thy  halls  were  love  and  ease; 
Now,   above   thee    lost    Atlantis ! 
Roll  the  ever  restless  seas. 

In  those  histories,  half  tradition, 
With  their  mythical  thread  of  gold, 
We  shall  find  the  name  and  story 


OUR  STORY 

Of  thy  cities,  fair  and  old; 
Dreaming  bard  has  told  in  fancy 
Wandering  minstrel  sung  of  thee, 
Now,  above  thee,  lost  Atlantis, 
Rolls  the  ever  restless  sea. 

Every  heart  has  such  a  country; 
Some  Atlantis  loved,  and  lost — 
Where  upon  the  gleaming  sand  bars 
Once  life's  fitful  ocean  tost; 
Mighty  cities  rose  in  splendor 
Love  was  monarch  of  that  clime 
Now,  above  that  lost  Atlantis 
Rolls  the  restless  sea  of  Time. 

Happy  he,  who  looking  backward 
From  a  life  of  larger  scope 
Deems  a  youthful  idle  fancy 
His  lost  continent  of  Hope; 
Or  by  light  of  love  and  gladness, 
Find  the  present   home   sublime 
Glad  that  over  his  Atlantis 
Rolls  the  restless  sea  of  Time. 

Why  is  this  book  written?  is  the  most  pertinent 


OF  ATLANTIS.  3 

question  asked  an  author  at  the  outset  of  com- 
position. It  is  echoed  and  re-echoed  by  critic 
and  reader  upon  its  publication.  It  certainly  ap- 
pears to  be  a  fair  question  whenever,  the  subjects 
seem  so  much  out  of  the  route  of  ordinary  in- 
formation, as  the  present  volume. 

The  scattered  records  of  the  Past,  within  the 
historical  period,  would  apparently  yield  scarcely 
enough  material  to  make  a  short  magazine  article 
of  any  interest,  to  say  nothing  of  swelling  in 
size,  to  the  dignity  of  a  book. 

It  is  now  conceded,  however,  by  our  wisest 
scientists,  that  every  configuration  and  corres- 
ponding circumstance  points  to  the  possibility  of 
the  existence  of  an  island  continent  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, if  not  directly  over  the  great  West  In- 
dian Archipelago,  just  as  the  whole  configuration 
of  the  North  American  Continent  tells  the  story 
of  the  inland  sea  that  broke  through  its  barriers 
at  the  Thousand  Islands  in  the  St.  Lawrence 
river,  and  hurling  itself  over  Niagara  Falls,  left 


4  OUR  STORY 

the    habitable    valley    of    the    Mississippi,    as    a 
legacy  to  man  for  future  settlement. 

The  sacred  writings  of  all  nations  concur  in  the 
same  declaration  and  statement  of  disaster  to  some 
portion  of  the  earth,  most  generally  including 
all.  In  a  late  issue  of  Mind,  appears  an  article 
headed :  "A  Monument  to  Atlantis,"  which 
says:  "A  notable  discovery  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest  for  historians,  especially  those  who  have 
a  leaning  toward  antiquities,  has  lately  been  made 
by  the  well-known  archaeologist,  Augustus  Le 
Plongeon.  This  discovery  should  particularly  at- 
tract the  attention  of  Americans,  since  it  enables 
them  to  lay  claim  to  one  of  the  most  important 
monuments  of  ancient  times.  The  edifice  in  ques- 
tion is  the  Pyramid  of  Xochicalo,  standing  5,396 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  situated  to  the 
south-southwest  of  Cuernavaca,  60  miles  from  the 
City  of  Mexico.  For  more  than  a  century  the 
pyramid  has  been  occasionally  visited  by  distin- 
guished  travelers,   including   the   learned    Hum- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  5 

boldt;  but  none  succeeded  in  discovering  the  pur- 
pose for  which  the  monument  had  been  erected, 
nor  in  deciphering  the  mysterious  inscriptions  on 
its  sides. 

As  far  back  as  1886,  Dr.  Le  Plongeon  pub- 
lished his  alphabetic  key  to  the  Maya  hieroglyphs, 
comparing  this  with  the  ancient  Egyptian  hieratic 
alphabet.  He  has  now  found  that  the  signs  on 
the  Pyramid  of  Xochicalo  are  both  Maya  and 
Egyptian ;  and  a  careful  study  of  these  decorative 
inscriptions  has  made  it  plain  to  him  that  the 
pyramid  was  a  monumental  structure  erected  to 
commemorate  the  submergence  and  destruction  of 
the  great  Land  of  Mu  (Plato's  Atlantis),  to- 
gether with  its  population  of  64,000,000  of  hu- 
man beings,  about  1 1,500  years  ago. 

Dr.  Le  Plongeon,  in  his  remarkable  work, 
"Queen  Moo  and  the  Egyptian  Sphinx,"  gives 
four  Maya  accounts  of  the  same  cataclysm.  This, 
then,  is  the  fifth,  and,  in  his  own  opinion,  the 
most  important  of  all  the  known  records  in  Maya 


6  OUR  STORY 

language  of  the  appalling  event  that  gave  rise 
to  the  story  of  a  universal  Deluge  that  is  found 
in  the  sacred  books  of  the  Jews,  the  Christians 
and  the  Mohammedans. 

These  records,  on  stone,  on  sun-dried  bricks,  on 
papyrus,  all  tell  the  same  story.  The  little  we 
know  of  the  Aztecs  Is  also  confirmatory  of  the 
same  fact.  Whence  came  the  people  of  South 
America,  with  their  advanced  civilization  and 
traditions  of  the  Past?  What  mighty  people  built 
the  great  cities  and  temples  of  the  now  forest- 
covered  dtles  of  Yucatain  and  Central  America, 
with  their  carved  glyphs,  and  correspondencies  to 
the  hieroglyphs  of  the  Valley  of  the  Nile  and  the 
East  Indian  entablatures;  and  moreover,  on  al- 
most precisely  similar  styles  of  architecture  to 
those  of  Egypt  and  India.  Is  It  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose there  was  no  common  bond  of  fellowship 
between  all  these?  The  Ancient  Egyptian  Ideas 
have  dominated  the  world  down  to  the  present 
day.     Instead  of  a  mummy-case,  we  use  a  coflRn 


OF  ATLANTIS.  7 

for  our  dead.  The  idea  is  the  same — the  de- 
parted ghost  was  to  be  saved  the  trouble  of  mak- 
ing a  new  body,  perhaps  at  short  notice,  at  the 
great  day  of  the  resurrection. 

The  trinity  in  unity  of  God,  now  universally 
received,  was  an  Egyptian  idea,  and  the  same  is 
wrought  into  the  stone  tablets  which  La  Plon- 
geon  and  his  amiable  wife  have  unearthed  in  the 
forests  of  the  Maias  and  Quiches. 

If  the  nation,  of  which  these  are  but  the 
feeble  remnants,  had  not  disappeared  by  some 
cataclysmal  climax  we  must  certainly  have  had 
some  later,  historical  data.  As  the  mind  of  the 
present  generation  is  more  largely  than  ever,  de- 
sirous of  Truth,  the  idea  of  Astral  presentation 
and  perception  may  not  be  without  its  weight, 
especially  as  the  books  of  Wisdom  of  the  Past 
declare,  that  automatic  books  of  record  are  kept 
of  all  deeds  and  manifestation,  upon  the  earth. 

It  may  be  asked,  why,  those  who  have  entered 
into  the  rest  of  tlie  Unseen  should  be  at  all  con- 


8  OUR  STORY 

cerned  in  the  unfoldment  and  development  of  the 
race,  who  are  ever  toiling  over  the  rocky  paths  of 
the  planet?  If  the  doctrine  of  re-incarnation  is 
true,  then  would  it  not  be  to  the  interest  of  the 
coming  Egos,  for  all  the  race  of  men  to  be  ad- 
vanced just  as  far  as  possible,  so  that  the  re-in- 
carnated from  time  to  time,  might  receive  the 
highest  advantage  attainable,  from  their  touch 
with  the  earth,  at  anj/^  particular  time.  Those 
who  are  coming  back  into  the  present  civilization, 
if  they  were  of  the  advanced  and  cultured  classes 
of  Atlantis  and  the  most  ancient  Egjpt,  would 
find  more  advantages  of  acquirement,  through 
our  leisure  and  experience,  than  when  hurled  into 
life  amid  the  horrors  and  darkness  of  the  Stone 
Age. 

From  time  to  time,  the  material  and  data  ob- 
tained as  hereinafter  described,  from  which  this 
book  is  made,  has  been  pressed  upon  my  attention, 
as  something  that  would  be  of  use,  and  interest 
to  all  who  are  seeking  to  KNOW.     I  do  not 


OF  ATLANTIS.  9 

doubt  the  authenticity  of  my  information,  nor 
the  statements  given  as  facts,  by  those  who  were 
so  kind  and  courteous  as  to  make  the  writer  their 
mouthpiece  in  this  re-collection  of  the  ancient 
memories. 

I  do  not  doubt,  that  to  many  readers,  will 
come  fleeting  glimpses  of  these  scenes,  as  if  they 
had  been  part  of  them.  It  is  a  conceded  fact, 
there  have  never  been,  since  the  fall  of  Atlantis, 
so  many  re-incarnated  Atlantians  upon  the  earth 
at  the  same  time,  as  now.  This  accounts  for  the 
almost  universal  demand  out  of  the  Astral  records 
for  the  forgotten  knowledge  of  the  occult,  which 
they  there  recorded.  This  also  explains  the  readi- 
ness of  the  public  mind  to  receive  knowledge  of 
the  doctrines  of  Mental  Healing,  Spiritualism, 
Thcosophy,  and  occultism  in  all  its  branches. 

Ignatius  Donnelly  finds  a  supporter  of  his 
A.tlantis  theory  in  Sir  Daniel  Wilson,  president 
of  the  University  of  Toronto,  who  declares  after 
a  great  deal  of  search,  that  the  lost  Atlantis  was 


10  OUR  STORY 

not  a  myth,  but  that  it  was  really  a  part  of  the 
continent  of  America.  He  accounts  for  its  dis- 
appearance from  view  in  a  different  way,  but  that 
is>  merely  incidental. 

Donnelly's  theory  was  that  the  land  was  sub- 
merged by  some  great  volcanic  upheaval,  and 
that  from  those  who  escaped  to  the  continents  of 
Europe  and  Asia  came  the  tradition  of  the  deluge. 
Sir  Daniel  rejects  this  explanation  as  being  dis- 
proved by  the  fact  that  there  are  no  traces  of  such 
volcanic  action  either  on  the  continent  or  in  the 
ocean  bed.  He  believes  that  the  ancient  Eg^'p- 
tians,  the  most  progressive  and  adventurous  people 
of  ancient  times,  discovered  the  continent,  but 
that  in  the  decline  both  of  their  learning  and 
power,  it  became  lost  to  view  and  existed  at  the 
time  our  knowledge  of  Egypt  begins  merely  as 
a  shado\\'y  tradition. 

It  is  his  opinion  that  traces  of  the  Eg]i'ptians 
of  those  days  are  to  be  sought  in  the  ruined  cities 
of  Central  America,  whose  origin  has  never  been 


OF  ATLANTIS.  ii 

determined  nor  even  been  made  the  basis  of  any 
reasonable  theory.  Such  a  discovery  would 
furnish  a  substantial  basis  for  the  legend  of  tlie 
lost  Atlantis  and  the  theory  invests  those  won- 
derful ruins  with  a  new  interest  for  the  an- 
tiquarians. 

The  St.  Louis  Republic  said:  "Atlantis  was 
a  continent  supposed  to  have  existed  at  a  very 
early  period  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  over  against 
the  Pillars  of  Hercules,"  but  which  was  subse- 
quently sunk  in  a  cataclysm  of  which  history 
gives  no  record.  Plato  is  the  first  who  gives  an 
account  of  it,  and  he  is  said  to  have  obtained  his 
information  from  some  Egyptian  priests  with 
whom  he  had  come  in  contact.  Plato's  account 
says:  "Atlantis  was  a  continent  larger  than 
Asia  and  Africa  put  together,  and  that  at  its  west- 
ern extremity  were  islands  which  afforded  easy 
passage  to  a  large  continent  lying  still  beyond — 
this  last  mentioned  continent  being  now  supposed 
to  be  South  America."     Nine  thousand  years  be- 


12  OUR    STORY 

fore  the  time  of  Plato,  according  to  the  tradition, 
Atlantis  was  a  powerful,  thickly  settled-country 
which  extended  its  way  over  Africa  and  the  major 
portion  of  what  is  now  Europe,  "even  to  as  far 
as  the  Tyrrhenian  Sea."  Further  progress  of  the 
invasion  of  the  Atlantides  was  checked  by  the 
combined  efforts  of  the  Athenians  and  other 
Greeks.  Shortly  after  the  invaders  were  driven 
from  the  continents  of  Europe  and  Africa  a  great 
earthquake  shook  Atlantis  from  center  to  cir- 
cumference. First,  the  outlying  islands  sank; 
then  great  areas  of  the  mainland.  Waves  ran 
mountain  high  across  hundreds  of  square  miles 
of  what  had  the  day  before  been  fertile  fields. 
Great  temples  were  racked  and  riven,  and  the 
affrighted  populace  climbed  upon  the  nuns  to 
escape  the  encroaching  waters.  On  the  second 
day,  after  a  night  of  terrors  wiiich  no  pen  could 
possibly  describe,  the  earthquake  shocks  were  of 
greatly  increased  violence,  ending  only  after  the 
entire  continent  had  been  engulfed.     There  is  no 


OF  ATLANTIS.  13 

page  in  history  or  tradition  that  records  a  more 
frightful  catastrophe,  and  nothing  would  be  of 
more  absorbing  interest  than  a  work  entirely  de- 
voted to  giving  an  account  of  M^hat  is  known  con- 
cerning it. 

To  the  objector  who  urges  that  the  explorers 
of  the  world  have  never  discovered  any  traces  of 
the  great  city  and  continent,  whose  story  I  have 
endeavored  to  give  in  the  following  pages;  per- 
mit me  to  give  a  few  straws  floating  on  our  sea 
of  current  literature,  which  show  that  the  his- 
tory of  past  ages  may  yet  be  read  in  the  Central 
part  of  our  continent: 

"The  recent  report  that  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  has  discovered  among  the  mountains  of  the 
Mexican  State  of  Sinaloa  a  long-forgotten  city 
tallies  with  a  curious  local  tradition  of  the  region. 
Adjoining  the  State  of  Sinaloa  on  the  south  is 
the  State  of  Jallisco,  and  of  this  State,  Guadala- 
jara is  the  capital.  Living  in  the  mountains  of 
Jallisco,    part   of    the   great     Sierra    Madre    or 


14  OUR    STORY 

"Mother  Range"  that  extends  through  Sinaloa 
and  thence  northward,  are  the  unconquered 
Yaquis,  a  brown-haired  people  with  light  eyes 
and  almost  fair  complexions.  Guadalajara  is  the 
only  civilized  town  that  these  Yaquis  visit,  and 
it  has  long  been  believed  there  that  the  Yaquis 
fastnesses  of  the  Sierra  jMadre  range  conceal  not 
only  rich  mines  of  silver,  but  as  well  the  lost  city 
of  the  Aztec  race.  No  one  has  hitherto  pierced 
the  mountain  wilderness,  because  the  naked 
Yaquis  have  an  effective  system  of  passive  resist- 
ance that  has  hitherto  successfully  closed  the  sole 
line  of  approach.  The  only  human  beings  other 
than  the  Yaquis  themselves  admitted  to  the  moun- 
tains of  Jallisco  are  a  few  renegade  Apaches,  mur- 
derous wretches,  vastly  more  dangerous  to  would- 
be  explorers  than  the  peaceful  but  persistent 
Yaquis." 

There  is  no  question  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
have  given  attention  to  the  subject,  that  the 
Aztecs  are  the  lineal  descendants  of  the  mighty 


OF  ATLANTIS.  15 

nation  who  sought  to  know  beyond  the  law 
governing  the  created.  Of  the  unknown  city 
above  mentioned,  we  add  another  description  from 
a  different  source: 

"During  the  frequent  visits  I  have  made  to 
Mexico,"  said  a  mining  engineer  of  Philadelphia 
to  an  Inquirer  reporter,  "I  have  come  in  con- 
tact with  many  of  the  Indians  resident  there  and 
have  heard  some  very  singular  stories.  One 
which  all  the  Indians  unite  in  telling,  is  that  far 
in  the  interior  exists  an  enormous  city,  never  yet 
visited  by  white  men.  It  is  described  as  peopled 
by  a  race  similar  to  the  ancient  Aztecs,  who  are 
sun  worshipers  and  offer  human  sacrifices  to  their 
deity. 

"The  race  is  said  to  be  in  a  high  state  of 
civilization,  and  the  Indians  say  that  the  city  is 
full  of  huge  structures  which  are  miracles  of 
quaint  but  beautiful  architecture,  and  are  situated 
on  broad  paved  streets,  far  surpassing  those  of 
the  Citv  of  Mexico. 


i6  OVR  STORY 

"One  Indian,  I  recollect,  assured  me  that  he 
had  seen  the  city  and  its  inhabitants  with  his 
own  eyes,  but  had  been  afraid  of  being  captured 
and  had  fled.  Of  course,  I  did  not  believe  him, 
but,  all  the  same,  it  is  not  a  little  strange  that 
the  accounts  of  the  Mexican  Indians,  relative  to 
the  mysterious  and  magnificent,  interior  citj'  agree 
perfectly." 

These  are  but  of  many  of  the  allusions  and  tra- 
ditions pointing  to  the  fact,  that  somewhere  in 
the  Southwest,  there  is  a  people  who  undoubtedly 
hold  a  complete  historical  record  of  the  chain  of 
events  from  Atlantis  in  its  prime,  down  to  the 
present  day.  While  there  is  perhaps  but  a  single 
city  inhabited  and  secluded  from  the  outside 
world  of  to-day  as  keepers  of  the  Ancient  Wis- 
dom, we  yet  find  ruins  of  such  magnitude  as  to 
impress  us  more  strongly  with  the  idea  that  the 
people  who  builded  the  original  structures,  could 
not  have  wholly  disappeared  from  this  Conti- 
nent.    The  following  from  San  Diego,  Cal.,  we 


OF  ATLANTIS.  17 

offer  in  proof,  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  dragon  is  a  favorite  design  in  the  East  Indian 
sculptures: 

"The  ruins  of  a  prehistoric  city  have  just  been 
discovered  by  a  party  of  prospectors  from  Yuma 
when  on  the  Colorado  desert  in  search  of  the 
Pegleg  mine.  The  wind  had  laid  bare  the  walls 
and  the  remains  of  the  stone  buildings  a  distance 
of  420  feet  in  length  by  260  feet  in  width. 
GTgantic  pillars,  quaintly  carved  to  represent 
dragons'  heads  and  rattlesnakes,  still  stood  in 
the  sands  of  the  desert,  supporting  on  their  tops 
huge  slabs  of  granite  weighing  many  tons.  The 
frieze  ornamentation  resembled  Egyptian  sculp- 
tures and  exhibited  a  greater  degree  of  skill  than 
is  possessed  by  the  Indian  artisans  of  the  present 
day.  Fragments  of  pottery  were  found  underneath 
the  debris,  and  together  with  the  crumbled  piece 
of  frieze  were  brought  by  one  of  the  party,  to 
this  city.  One  of  his  associates  came  to  San 
Diego  and  the  others  returned  to  Yuma,  nearly 


i8  OUR  STORY 

two  weeks  ago.  But  the  story  of  their  discovery 
was  carefully  guarded,  in  the  hope  that  in  some 
way  they  might  profit  by  it. 

"The  discoverers,  in  company  with  four  others, 
afterwards  went  to  the  desert  to  explore  the  ruins. 
They  were  driven  back  by  a  sand  storm,  reaching 
this  city  to-day,  but  will  make  a  careful  exam- 
ination of  the  ruins  in  the  season  when  the  con- 
ditions are  favorable  for  extensive  explorations. 
From  the  relics  exhibited  it  is  evident  that  an 
important  archeaeological  discovery  has  been 
made." 

In  connection  with  the  above,  there  is  a  pecu- 
liarity to  be  noticed  in  the  occurrence  of  the 
sand  storm.  It  has  always  been  so.  A  storm  or 
some  sudden  natural  event  has  warded  off  all  ef- 
forts to  reach  these  wonderful  remains  of  the 
prehistoric,  or  even  the  existing  cities.  When 
men  shall  be  ready  to  seek  them,  desiring  knowl- 
edge and  not  treasure,  there  is  no  doubt  the  keys 
for  the  unlocking  of  the  mysteries  of  the  Past, 


OF  ATLANTIS.  19 

will  be  given  into  worthy  hands  and  what  we 
have  herein  written  will  receive  ample  corrobor- 
ation. We  add  still  another  account  of  wonder- 
ful discovery  in  proof  of  the  immense  popula- 
tion of  the  old  Atlantian  kingdom  in  its  prime. 
This  time,  it  is  from  the  City  of  Mexico,  the 
center  of  the  modern  Atlantian  or  Aztec  civiliza- 
tion : 

"What  appears  to  be  the  verification  of  an  old 
Aztec  fable  of  a  buried  race  of  cave-dwellers  and 
a  hidden  city  in  southwestern  Mexico  is  a  matter 
in  which  the  local  scientists  are  interested  at 
present.  L.  P.  Leroyal,  a  French  engineer,  who 
has  lived  long  in  this  republic,  has  just  arrived 
form  the  wilds  of  the  Southwest  and  reported 
that  he  has  discovered  in  the  State  of  Guerrero 
a  huge  natural  cave,  which  he  believes  to  be  the 
greatest  in  Mexico,  if  not  in  the  world.  He  says 
it  is  much  larger  than  the  famous  cavern  of  Caca- 
huamilpa,  situated  some  distance  south  of  Guer- 
navaca,  which  has  hitherto  been  supposed  to  be 


20  OUR  STORY 

the  largest  natural  cave  in  existence  in  Mexico. 
Mr.  Leroyal,  after  penetrating  a  considerable  dis- 
tance into  the  cave,  determined  to  make  a  thor- 
ough investigation  of  it,  and  accordingly  a  few 
days  ago  furnished  himself  with  food  suflflcient 
for  a  day,  provided  himself  with  lanterns,  etc., 
and  set  out  upon  his  task  all  alone.  As  he  went 
along  he  made  a  thorough  plan  of  the  cave,  but 
did  not  anticipate  that  his  task  would  be  so 
arduous  as  it  proved.  At  the  first,  the  bottom 
of  the  cave  was  a  gradual  slope  downward,  then 
changed  upward  and  afterward  alternated  for  the 
most  part  between  descents  and  ascents.  Here 
and  there,  however,  a  level  bottom  of  great  width 
was  met.  The  height  of  the  cave  varied,  as 
might  naturally  be  expected ;  in  some  places  it 
was  several  hundred  feet  high.  For  some  distance 
from  the  entrance  no  trace  of  human  beings  was 
found.  Occasionally  magnificent  stalactites  and 
stalagmites,  the  finest  Mr.  Leroyal  had  ever  seen, 
were  met  with. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  21 

"After  proceeding  for  some  hours  he  came  upon 
what  had  evidently  been  an  ancient  cemetery,  as 
there  were  at  least  400  petrified  bodies,  together 
with  ancient  idols,  etc.  There  was  also  a  foun- 
tain of  beautiful  clear  spring  water  which  was 
found  to  be  excellent.  Some  of  the  tools,  as  well 
as  two  or  three  skulls,  Mr.  Leroyal  brought  away 
with  him,  and  they  are  now  in  this  city.  The 
appearance  of  this  charnel  house  thus  lighted  up 
for  the  first  time  for  hundreds  of  years  was  grew- 
some  in  the  extreme  and  well  calculated  to  shake 
the  nerves  of  the  explorer.  Mr.  Leroyal  con- 
tinued his  explorations  while  hour  after  hour 
passed.  It  was  not  until  after  he  had  traveled  a 
distance  of  at  least  twenty-one  and  one-half 
leagues  that  he  thought  it  time  to  call  a  halt  and 
proceed  on  his  return  journey.  So  far  as  he  could 
see  the  distance  still  to  be  traversed  might  be 
very  considerable,  with  the  chances  for  the  cave 
opening  out,  as  the  floor  seemed  to  be  well  troildcn 
by  human  feet.     He  retraccil  his  stops  as  speedily 


22  OUR  STORY 

as  possible,  and  after  being  underground  for  up- 
ward of  twenty-four  hours,  found  himself  once 
more  at  the  entrance  of  the  cave.  Mr.  Leroyal 
promised  to  make  further  explorations  before 
long.  It  is  expected  that  a  party  fully  equipped 
for  the  exploration  of  this  wonderful  cavern  of 
the  dead,  will  soon  be  fitted  out  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  discoverer,  and  the  outcome  of  the 
investigations  will  be  awaited  with  interest.  The 
natives  of  the  locality,  as,  in  fact,  the  Indian 
population  in  general,  in  Mexico,  believe  that  at 
some  place  near  the  southwestern  coast  of  Mexico 
there  exists  a  great  white  city  with  countless 
treasure  which  has  never  been  seen  by  white  men, 
and  the  approach  to  which  is  so  intricate  and 
cleverly  concealed  that  a  stranger  has  never  en- 
tered its  solitary  precincts." 

With  all  the  increasing  mass  of  information  on 
the  subject,  it  seems  there  should  be  some  effort 
at  collection  under  guidance,  of  what  is  known 
about  Atlantis  the  Mighty.    To  make  a  beginning 


OF  ATLANTIS.  23 

and  thus  call  attention  in  this  direction  is  my 
answer  to  the  question :  "Why  this  book  is 
written." 


ATLANTIAN  MEMORIES. 

Out  of  the  dim  Past,  old  memories  come  to  me; 
From  where  the  hght  in  all  its  glory  seemed  to  be, 
As  the  people  worshiped  'near  the  Sun's  resplendent 

rays 
And  lotus-crowned  hailed  with  joy  the  festal  days. 
Golden  lyres,  sending  forth  rich,  harmonious  strains 
Sounding   the   key-note,   which   o'er   the   world   still 

reigned. 
High  above  all,  the  Vestal's  song  enchanting  soars, 
Mingling  with  the  ripples  on  the  wave-washed  shores. 
From  the  Temple  floats  the  bell's  melodious  chimes, 
So  deep  and  mellow  in  that  old  Atlantian  time. 


24  OUR  STORY 

Throughout  the  Ages,  linger  these  old  memories  still 

And  hover  round  me  with  no  effort  of  my  will. 

Still  in  my  heart  is  throbbing  with  the  rythm  of  the 

waves, 
Those   slumbering   waves   which,   alas,   became   our 

graves. 
Again,  I  hear  the  glad  hozannas  to  the  Sun  arise. 
Isis  in  the  sanctuary,  is  veiled  from  human  eyes, 
Which  read  no  warning  in  the  skies'  celestial  hue ; 
Nor  heard  it  murmured  in  the  Ocean  calm  and  blue : 
Neither  listened  to  the  whispering  wind  so  free. 
Telling  of  the  doom,  fair  Atlantis  was  to  see. 

I  am  thankful  that  the  gates  of  memory  ope. 

That  great  Angels   weave  the   scattered  threads   of 

hope 
And  clothe  us  freshly  with  its  robes  of  snowy  white; 
While  on  our  altar  shines  again  the  mystic  light, 
The  radiant  star,  which  once  o'er  Egypt  shone, 
Glimmers  once  again,  with  a  message  all  its  own. 
Humble  tho'  the  Temple,  the  melody  is  there. 
The  bell's  sweet  chiming  breaks  upon  the  silent  air. 
Amid  the  incense  rising  from  our  sacred  Shrine, 
Old  Atlantian  glories  round  our  spirits  twine. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THERE  is  jet  a  little  more  of  the  flotsam 
and  jetsam  upon  the  stormy  waves  of 
human  unfoldment  which  is  supple- 
mental to  our  openint:  chapter,  and  must  be  de- 
tailed now  or  put  entirely  to  one  side.  From 
two  distinct  sources,  we  give  an  account  of  an 
old  Mexican  city  that  has  never  been  entered  by 
the  foot  of  a  white  man  and  which  was  known  to 
be  in  existence  long  before  the  Spanish  Conquest : 
"Mr.  Juan  Alvarez,  who  has  just  returned 
froin  an  exploring  expedition  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  the  republic,  reports  that  he  has  found  a 
city  which  has  never  been  entered  by  a  white 
man,  and  which  has  evidently  been  in  existence 
for  hundreds  of  years,  going  back  before  the  time 
of  the  conquest  of  the  countn,-  by  the  Spaniards. 
It  is  an  old  Aztec  city,  and  the  approaches  to  it 


26  OUR  STORY 

are  so  guarded  by  nature  that  it  is  an  impossibility 
to  reach  it  if  the  inhabitants  do  not  want  a  trav- 
eler to  get  in. 

The  city  lies  in  the  almost  inaccessible  moun- 
tains in  the  extreme  southwestern  part  of  the 
country  and  is  so  far  away  from  civilization  that 
few  white  men  have  ever  been  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. It  was  by  the  purest  accident  that  Alvarez 
became  aware  that  a  city  was  anywhere  in  the 
vicinity,  and  after  he  found  it,  all  of  his  endeavors 
tc  reach  it  were  unavailing  on  account  of  the 
persistent  opposition  of  the  natives. 

He  had  been  traveling  over  the  mountains  in 
search  of  an  outlet  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  when  he 
came  to  the  top  of  an  elevated  plateau  and  crossed 
to  the  further  edge.  He  had  a  magnificent  view, 
and  while  looking  over  the  country,  saw  what  he 
took  to  be  houses  in  a  far  distant  valley.  A  close 
inspection  with  a  glass  convinced  him  that  what 
he  saw  was  really  a  collection  of  houses,  and 
he  at  once  set  about  reaching  the  place  to  see  who 


OF  ATLANTIS.  27 

lived  in  that  part  of  the  country. 

After  daj's  of  hard  work  climbing  over  cliffs 
and  mountains,  he  reached  a  point  from  which 
he  obtained  a  good  view  of  the  city  and  saw  that 
it  was  regularly  laid  out  in  streets  and  was  peo- 
pled \\ith  a  race  who  knew  something  about 
civilization.  The  houses  were  of  stone  and  were 
surrounded  by  yards,  in  which  were  growing 
flowers  and  shrubs.  On  all  sides  were  evidences 
of  taste  shown  by  the  inhabitants,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  he  had  found  a  city  which  was  not 
known  to  tiic  outside  world. 

"A  careful  examination  of  the  country  showed 
him  that  the  city  was  located  within  a  natural 
amphitheater  and  was  accessible  from  one  side 
only.  He  saw  that  the  only  means  of  access  was 
through  a  long  and  narrow  defile  which  led  into 
the  mountains  from  the  Pacific  coast  side,  and  he 
started  to  reach  the  place,  where  he  could  find 
this  entrance.  He  made  an  outline  drawing  of 
the  city  as  it  appeared  to  him  from  the  distant 


28  OUR    STORY 

mountain  top,  and  this  is  all  he  has  to  show  that 
there  is  a  city  within  the  heart  of  the  mountains, 
for  he  was  never  allowed  to  reach  the  spot. 

"From  this  drawing  it  is  plain  that  the  city  has 
not  less  than  four  thousand  inhibitants.  The 
houses  are  all  of  stone  and  are  supplied  with  doors 
and  windows.  In  the  center  was  a  large  building, 
which  was  undoubtedly  the  temple  of  worship, 
for  on  its  walls  could  be  seen  sculptured  designs 
representing  the  Deity.  It  was  in  the  shape  of 
the  ancient  teocalli,  which  are  to  be  found  in 
many  parts  of  this  country,  and  the  people  could 
be  seen  passing  in  and  out  of  it  during  all  hours  of 
the  day. 

"After  ten  days'  arduous  work  Alvarez  found 
himself  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  on  the 
western  slope,  and  set  about  searching  for  the 
canyon  leading  to  the  city.  He  had  so  well 
marked  the  la_\"  of  the  land  that  he  had  no  diffi- 
cult}' in  finding  the  entrance,  but  he  was  met  by 
a  band  of  Indians  who  refused  to  let  him  proceed. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  29 

They  offered  him  no  violence,  but  insisted  that  he 
should  return.  He  told  them  that  he  had  come 
over  the  mountains  and  did  not  know  how  to 
find  his  way  back. 

"After  a  consultation,  he  was  told  he  would 
have  to  remain  awhile  as  a  prisoner,  and  two 
runners  were  sent  into  the  mountains,  who  re- 
turned in  a  day  with  orders  from  some  one  in 
authority,  and  Alvarez  was  blindfolded  and 
placed  on  the  back  of  a  mule.  He  traveled  in 
this  condition  for  three  days,  only  having  the 
bandage  removed  from  his  eyes  at  night. 

On  the  fourth  day,  he  was  told  to  remove  his 
bandage,  and  when  he  did  so,  he  found  himself  on 
the  borders  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  Indians 
had  gone,  leaving  him  with  nothing  to  guide  him 
back  to  the  place  where  he  had  seen  the  city." 

This  city  is  described  in  full  in  "Future  Rulers 
of  America,"  and  has  been  visited  by  persons  in 
the  body,  who  have  been  permitted  so  to  do. 

We  conclude  our  extracts  with  the  description 


30  OUR    STORY 

of  another  mighty  city,  the  work  of  the  powerful 
nation  whose  capital,  located  on  the  great  island 
of  Atlantis,  exercised  its  power  both  East  and 
West,  of  which  we  are  trying  to  tell: 

"The  American  archaeologists  who  went  to 
the  recently  discovered  city  in  the  Sierra  Madre 
Mountains  have  returned,  and  tell  of  another 
hidden  city  five  Spanish  leagues  north  of  the  first 
city.  The  leader  of  the  party,  C.  W.  Pantion, 
of  Philadelphia,  says  that  these  cities  were  evi- 
dently tw'in  capitals  of  a  wealthy  district  long 
before  the  Aztecs  appeared.  The  two  cities  are 
connected  by  underground  passages  hewn  out  of 
solid  rock,  and  it  was  while  exploring  one  of 
these  passages  that  the  second  was  discovered. 
It  lies  in  a  deep  basin  of  the  mountains,  with  no 
exit  except  the  underground  tunnel.  At  least 
none  has  been  found. 

To  that  which  we  have  thus  drawn  from  all 
accessible  sources  in  the  visible,  I  now  desire  to 
add    supplementary    testimony    from    the    Astral 


OF  ATLANTIS.  31 

Records,     which    I    believe    to    be    reh'able     and 
worthj'  of  credence. 

Does  not  this  collated  evidence  of  the  similarity 
in  nature  and  civilization  west  of  the  great  cit3^ 
which  could  not  possibly  have  had  commerce  with 
the  mother-country  for  centuries,  prove  conclu- 
sively, even  to  the  realistic  and  scientific  mind, 
a  common  origin  for  religious  teachings,  customs, 
languages,  both  oral  and  written?  All  the  dis- 
coveries relative  to  this  subject,  confirm  this  con- 
clusion. We  are  indebted  to  those  who  are  im- 
pelled by  an  irresistible  desire  to  learn  and  know. 
Who,  in  this  cause  are  willing  to  expatriate  them- 
selves; endure  danger  and  overcome  obstructing 
difficulties,  if  they  may  but  by  some  chance  guid- 
ance, bring  again  to  tiie  light  of  day,  some  of  the 
various  records,  which  were  left  when  the  sun  of 
the  manifested  spiritual  world  went  down  into 
the  shuddering  earth? 

To  the  Aryan  people,  who  listen  with  a  willing 
heart,  there  is  much  that  can  be  given  concerning 


32  OUR  STORY 

this  ancient  city.  It  matters  little  how  Science 
and  Religion  shall  accept  that  which  is  offered, 
whether  in  a  scientific  way,  or  from  the  unseen  as 
true  and  of  value.  Science  and  Religion  have 
never  received  anything  new  upon  untried  lines 
of  thought,  until  they  have  been  forced  to  the 
exception. 

That  is  why  the  priests,  of  all  ages,  are  so  con- 
servative and  have  withheld  so  much  more  than 
they  should,  even  on  their  conservative  line  of 
thought.  It  has  ever  been  their  rule,  to  hold  fast 
upon  that  of  which  they  had  become  possessed ; 
content  and  satisfied  without  the  trouble  and 
exertion  of  seeking  new  fields  for  themselves,  or 
admitting  the  possibility  of  broadening  truth, 
for  others. 

All  that  has  ever  been  learned,  to  distinguish 
the  savage  from  civilization  was  known  to  the 
wise  men  of  Atlantis.  Whenever  there  has  been 
upon  the  earth,  a  sufficient  number  of  Atlantians, 
at  one  time  to  control  a  nation,  or  to  form  one  by 


OF  ATLANTIS.  33 

themselves,  that  nation  or  epoch  has  always  ex- 
perienced a  most  wonderful  growth.  In  the  days 
•f  the  last  Egyptian  splendor,  when  it  was  the 
school  to  which  the  Greeks  and  Romans  resorted 
for  instruction,  was  the  last  time  noted  in  history 
of  such  a  re-appearance  in  sufficient  numbers  to 
admit  of  a  national  control.  What  they  did,  we 
have  the  pyramids;  the  Temple  of  Karnac;  and 
all  the  mighty  ruins  of  the  Nile  and  the  Euphrates 
in  evidence. 

As  soon  as  the  Anglo-Saxon  speaking  races 
were  sufficiently  developed  out  of  savagery,  the 
Atlantians,  commenced  re-appearing,  startling 
the  whole  world  ever  and  anon,  with  their  great 
strides  toward  wisdom  and  knowledge,  as  they 
slowly  paved  the  way  by  conquest  and  discovery, 
for  the  settlement  and  re-occupation  of  that  which 
belonged  to  them ;  and  for  the  utilization  of  all 
their  old  resources,  under  new  conditions  of  added 
strength  and  experience.  In  no  other  way  can 
we  account  for  the  wilting  and  extermination  of 


34  OUR   STORY 

the  red-skinned  usurpers,  who  had  neither  claim 
nor  strength  to  maintain  title  to  that  into  which 
they  had  strayed  by  accident  during  the  temporary 
absence  of  the  real  owners. 

Much  sympathy  has  been  wasted  on  the  red 
son  of  the  forest.  He  has  but  obeyed  the  law: 
Who  cannot  dominate  the  resources  of  the  en- 
vironment must  yield  title  to  him  who  can.  How 
much  would  our  vast  storehouses  of  mineral  and 
agricultural  wealth  have  helped  man's  unfold- 
ment,  if  they  had  never  been  used?  The  differ- 
ence between  the  American  Indian  and  the  An- 
glo-Saxon-Atlantian,  is  plain  to  the  dullest  intel- 
lect. 

A.S  the  city  of  Atlantis  grew,  her  population 
was  drawn  off  into  colonies  which  had  deep  and 
abiding  influence  on  the  whole  of  the  Western 
continent,  but  especially  centering  along  the  belt 
in  which  Atlantis  itself  was  located. 

Between  the  fading  away  of  the  last  Egyptian 
civilization,  and  the  concealment  of  the  world's 


OF  ATLANTIS.  35 

records  at  that  time,  there  is  a  mysterious  gap, 
which  can  be  accounted  for  only  in  one  way. 
When  Atlantis  was  in  its  prime,  there  were  other 
units  in  the  world's  category  of  nations  which 
were  not  so  far  advanced.  If  Atlantis  had  held 
on  in  the  even  tenor  of  her  way,  all  other  nations 
of  the  world  would  have  received  the  light,  and 
been  uplifted  to  something  near  its  own  stand- 
point, but  when  this  chance  of  development  was 
cut  off,  they  groped  in  comparative  darkness. 
When  this  class  of  people  incarnated  again  in 
force  of  numbers,  such  scenes  as  the  conquest  of 
Rome  by  the  Goths  and  Vandals  ;  the  overrunning 
of  Europe  by  the  Huns,  and  the  eruption  of  the 
Tartars,  times  without  number,  occurred.  As 
they  disappeared  from  the  mortal  vision,  we  can 
but  recognize  their  sameness  of  purpose,  and  the 
most  pertinent  fact  that  undone  duty  made  all 
this  trouble  for  the  Atlantians  of  the  Far  Past, 
their  comrades  and  associates.  Have  we  learned 
the  lesson  that  no  human  being  is  separate  from 


36  OUR  STORY 

ourselves?  A  wrong  once  done  must  be  righted. 
It  is  the  eternal  law  of  exact  justice.^^ 

As  these  misbegotten  impedimenta  to  progress 
pass  out  into  the  unseen,  having  overborne  or 
put  off  all  heads  that  towered  above  their  own, 
intellectually,  Atlantian  influence  revives.  Little 
by  little  have  these  "fellows  of  ignorance,"  felt 
the  uplifting  of  influence  of  the  "sons  of  light" 
and  every  generation  increases  the  widening  wave 
of  educated  and  spiritualized  people,  which  must 
finally  include  within  it  every  nation,  tongue,  or 
people  of  the  earth's  full  complement  of  inhabi- 
tants. The  American  nation  has  done  a  vast 
deal  for  the  enlightenment  of  the  whole  world. 
Thus  it  is  easy  to  understand  why  the  extinguish- 
ing power  of  all  that  holds  the  soul  in  chains  is 
projected  toward  us. 

In  the  ancient  times,  when  the  lamp  of  civiliza- 
tion burned  at  Rome,  and  Athens,  or  later,  as  at 
Antioch  and  other  cities;  single  centers  of  learn- 
ing blazed  out  and  lessened  the  darkness  as  do 


OF  ATLANTIS.  37 

beacon  lights  set  on  a  hill.  But  with  these  com- 
pare the  events  of  to-day.  A  compact,  unified 
nationality,  which  resembles  the  old  Atlantis,  had 
its  beginning  on  an  island,  cut  off  from  easy  ap- 
proach. Yet  it  has  been  able  to  make  its  power 
felt  throughout  the  whole  world.  Although  the 
English  name  be  detested,  its  power  is  always  re- 
spected. Not  only  has  this  nation  made  itself 
felt  everywhere,  but  it  is  the  founder  of  the 
American  nation  and  unites  its  force  with  that, 
to  push  the  common  civilization  and  thought  cur- 
rents into  every  part  of  the  globe. 

The  freedom  of  the  thought-body,  and  the 
aptitude  of  the  minds  engendered  thereby,  has 
once  more  drawn  to  the  American  continent  more 
Atlantians  than  were  ever  incarnated  at  one  time, 
since  the  fall  of  that  city.  It  thus  happens  that 
their  inventions  and  knowledge  and  wisdom  and 
the  results  of  thougb.t-force,  modified  and  per- 
fected by  the  assimilation  of  hundreds  of  years  in 
devachanic  rest,  is  coming  upon  the  nation  in  a 


38  OUR  STORY 

flood,  as  with  outstretched  hands  they  demand 
from  the  Silence  that  which  they  themselves  de- 
posited in  the  Astral  records  long  ages  since. 

We  often  wonder  at  events  transpiring  in  the 
way  of  discoveries,  or  at  the  applications  of  prin- 
ciples which  are  perfectly  logical,  and  linked  one 
upon  another.  We  have  surely  reached  a  point 
and  begun  to  guess  about  the  uses  and  methods  of 
application  of  that  vehicle  of  force  about  which 
the  Atlantians  knew  much,  and  desiring  to  know 
more,  found  there  was  a  limit  which  barred  their 
further  progress.  We  already  have  hold  upon 
another,  and  we  desire  only  that  they  who  may 
essay  to  advance  in  this  direction,  may  do  so  with 
body,  soul  and  mind  so  purified,  they  will  not  need 
the  reprimand  of  obstruction,  that  came  to  the 
original  investigators  of  our  nation  on  that  line. 

The  reason  why  this  age  is  so  celebrated  above 
others  of  the  near  past,  is  due  to  the  facts  thus 
stated.  We  perceive  in  the  near  future,  as  has 
been  repeatedly  foretold,  the  end  of  a  cycle  is  at 


OF  ATLANTIS.  39 

hand.  Cataclysmic  results;  the  sinking  of  land 
in  some  places;  and  the  rising  in  others,  is  im- 
minent. When  cities  peculiarly  situated  are 
crowded  with  inhabitants,  who  have  lost  all  con- 
ception of  everything  but  their  own  desires  cen- 
tering in  selfish  purpose,  their  thought  vibrations 
become  inharmonious  with  the  universal  thought 
vibrations.  If  this  inharmony  continues  strong 
enough  to  communicate  itself  to  the  eround  upon 
which  the  city  stands,  this  foundation  being  sub- 
ject also,  to  a  set  of  vibrations  upon  the  natural 
plane  of  Liquidity,  serious  consequences  may 
occur. 

Just  what  the  outcome  of  the  present  period 
will  be  none  but  the  Council  of  the  Seven  Great 
Builders  know.  But  this  we  have  gathered : 
That  within  a  hundred  years,  and  possibly  a 
much  shorter  time,  Atlantis  will  be  above  the 
waves.  Whatever  her  monuments  contain,  or 
whatever  may  be  in  her  ruined  temple  can  then 
be  investigated. 


40  OUR    STORY 

Within  500  years  the  bulk  of  population  will 
be  south  of  the  equator;  that  which  is  now  sea, 
will  become  dry  land,  and  the  old  continent  of 
Lamuria  will  once  more  sustain  its  millions  of 
inhabitants.  Scientists  tell  us  that  the  time  is 
fixed  when  all  the  gold,  silver  and  coal  will  be 
mined.  How  short-sighted!  Under  the  sea  is  a 
thousand-fold  more  than  has  ever  been  brought  to 
light  by  man's  busy  hands. 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN  the  early  seventies,  having  by  constant  and 
severe  attention  to  business  reached  a 
point  when  rest  and  change  were  imper- 
ative, I  was  advised  by  my  physician  to  take  a 
sea  voyage.  I  mentioned  this  fact  to  a  friend 
of  mine  in  New  York  City,  who  was  a  vessel 
owner.  He  offered  me  the  position  of  super- 
cargo in  one  of  his  vessels  about  to  sail  for  San 
Francisco,  "around  the  Horn."  I  gladly  ac- 
cepted the  chance,  for  it  gave  me  both  motive 
and  occupation  for  the  trip. 

My  preparations  were  made  rapidly.  We 
sailed  out  of  New  York  Harbor  on  the  15th  of 
June,  1872. 

As  the  last  lighthouse  sank  slowly  beneath  the 
waves,  and  the  full  moon  rose  in  the  heavens,  I 
stood   watching   the  receding  land   marks,   little 


42  OUR  STORY 

dreaming  of  the  momentous  events  to  happen  as 
a  part  of  the  voyage,  nor  of  the  marvelous  re- 
vealings  to  come  to  my  knowledge,  before  I 
should  again  touch  my  foot  upon  land.  Of  all 
these  the  following  pages  are  but  a  feeble  por- 
trayal. But  it  is  always  so  in  life,  we  meet  and 
part,  come  and  go.  The  consequence  of  the 
meeting  and  the  pain  of  the  parting  may  be  in- 
expressible in  spoken  language ;  hut  how  shall  we 
know?  Who  will  tell,  or  warn  us,  of  the  swift- 
ly oncoming  future,  with  its  burden  of  weal  or 
woe? 

As  our  vessel  was  devoted  to  freight,  we,  as  I 
knew,  carried  but  a  single  passenger,  who  by  es- 
pecial favor  of  the  owner  had  been  permitted  to 
occupy  the  one  spare  cabin.  The  rest  of  the 
space  was  occupied  by  the  officers  of  the  ship,  in- 
cluding myself.  I  had  been  introduced  to  this 
man,  when  he  had  first  conie  on  board,  but  be- 
ing much  preconcerned  about  the  business  I  had 
in  hand  at  that  moment,  I  had  simply  responded 


OF  ATLANTIS.  43 

with  the  usual  meaningless  phrase  of:  "Happ)^ 
to  make  your  acquaintance."  But  I  remembered 
afterwards  an  impression  of  dignity  of  bear- 
ing; of  sweetness  of  real  courtesy  on  his  part; 
and  that  peculiar,  indescribable  thrill  as  we 
shook  hands,  x^hich  once  or  twice  in  a  lifetime, 
It  may  be  our  good  fortune  to  experience,  as  the 
h'nes  of  our  lives  cross  with  those  who  are  es- 
sential to  our  highest  and  best  unfolding. 

Standing  thus,  leaning  meditatively  over  the 
taffrail,  I  came  back  to  myself  by  hearing  my 
name  pronounced  distinctly,  in  a  low,  musical 
voice,  with  just  the  slightest  foreign  accent. 
Looking  around,  I  acknowledged  the  address,  as 
he  went  on  to  say : 

"I  see  you  are  leaving  part  of  yourself  behind 
you." 

"Oh,  not  a  large  part,"  I  replied,  "but  I  was 
thinkinj^  about  the  certainty  of  parting  and  the 
uncertainty  of  meeting." 

"Don't  you  think  that  we  part  forever  from 


44  OUR  STORY 

our  friends,  only  when  we  have  accomplished 
or  finished  all  that  we  can  do  for  each  other. 
So  long  as  our  work  remains  undone  we  shall 
certainly  meet  again?" 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "that  may  be  so,  but  it  is  the 
human  uncertainty  that  saddens." 

Looking  full  at  this  man,  to  whom,  with  his 
every  word,  I  was  most  indescribably  attracted, 
I  saw  a  picture,  from  that  time  indelibly  stamped 
upon  my  memory.  Tall,  and  almost  perfectly 
proportioned.  Eyes  black,  while  in  their  ordi- 
narily kind  expression,  one  might  easily  imag- 
ine their  possibilities,  when  honest  indignation  or 
righteous  anger  stirred  their  depths.  Hair  and 
beard  white,  and  worn  a  little  longer  than  cus- 
tom prescribed.  His  bearing  was  majestic  in 
strength;  serene  in  harmony;  attractive  beyond 
cpmpare  in  its  unselfish  desire  for  the  good  of 
others.  With  all  this,  there  was  an  impres- 
sion, in  all  he  said,  he  could  tell  very  much  more 
if  he  only  would,  about  any  subject  concerning 


OF  ATLANTIS.  45 

which  he  might  be  conversing. 

It  was  such  a  face  as  children  love  and  scoun- 
drels hate,  containing  within  itself  the  pitying 
tenderness  of  a  mother's  love  and  a  father's  sus- 
taining watchfulness.  In  our  interview,  I 
passed  from  the  outermost  border  of  casual  ac- 
quaintance to  the  confident  championship  of 
sworn  friendship.  At  this,  too,  I  marveled,  for 
I  am  slow  to  receive  or  offer  friendship,  but 
come  slowly  to  the  perception  of  what  might 
be,  in  those  who  honor  me  with  their  good  will. 

Although  we  stood  some  little  time  longer 
gazing  upon  the  ocean,  as  the  night  and  waters 
met  in  closer  and  still  closer  embrace,  we  lapsed 
into  silence,  with  that  strange  feeling  of  being 
company  for  each  other,  although  no  word  was 
said,  and  finally  we  descended  to  our  respective 
cabins  for  the  night. 

As  is  usual  with  the  position  which  I  held, 
my  duties  during  the  voyage  were  almost  nom- 
inal, making  up  for  this  leisure,  however,  during 


46  OUR   STORY 

the  receiving  or  discharging  of  the  cargo  or  any 
part.  Consequently  I  had  sufficient  time  to  im- 
prove the  acquaintance  so  curiously  begun.  It 
did  not  take  long  to  find  out  that  my  friend  was 
a  zealous,  unremitting  student,  and  that  while 
we  were  familiar  with  many  lines  of  common  in- 
terest, there  were  others,  in  which  he  was  well 
versed,  of  which  I  knew  comparatively  noth- 
ing. He  was  a  very  eloquent  and  instructive 
talker  and  readily  and  gladly  answered  my  ques- 
tions. 

Especially  was  this  true  of  things  in  the  past, 
which  the  present  generation  has  moved  on  and 
forgotten,  and  a  peculiarity  of  his  descriptions 
was  that  they  were  given  as  if  personal  experi- 
ences of  his  own.  Later  I  knew  why,  but  at  the 
first  it  seemed  that  it  was  done  to  give  more  life 
and  movement  to  the  story. 

As  a  child  I  had  always  been  fascinated  with 
whatever  I  had  chanced  upon,  either  in  reading 
or  conversation  which  related  to  Atlantis.     But 


OF  ATLANTIS.  47 

as  I  grew  older,  enveloped  in  the  materialistic 
ideas  of  the  modern  schools,  I  had  come  to  re- 
gard the  little  that  was  known  of.  that  ancient 
mistress  of  the  seas  as  largely  fabulous,  if  not 
wholly  unworthy  of  credence. 

After  we  had  been  out  from  port  four  or  five 
days,  as  we  sat  chatting  on  the  quarter  deck, 
something  was  said  which  induced  me  to  ask 
him  the  question  squarely: 

"Do  you  believe  there  ever  was  such  a  coun- 
try as  Atlantis?" 

"Most  certainly,"  was  his  quiet,  decisive  an- 
swer. 

"But  you  do  not  think  it  possible  that  a  whole 
continent  could  disappear  so  utterly  beneath  the 
waves  as  that  is  said  to  have  done,  leaving  no 
more  trace  of  its  former  existence  than  has  been 
the  case  with  that?" 

"And  whj'  does  this  seem  impossible  m  you? 
Does  history  know  anything  of  the  city  that 
stood    under   ancient   Troy.      Who    knows   who 


48  OUR  STORY 

were  the  builders  or  what  the  design  of  the 
Pyramids  of  Egypt?  Who  can  tell  of  the  cities 
lying  strata  upon  strata  in  the  valley  of  the  Nile? 
In  your  own  country,  who  can  tell  anything 
of  the  Mound  Builders?  What  does  the  world 
know  of  Palmyra,  of  Babylon,  or  of  the  great 
cities  in  the  Valley  of  the  Euphrates?  But  for 
the  accessibility  of  their  ruins,  they  would  by  this 
time  have  been  as  thoroughly  forgotten  as  At- 
lantis now  is." 

"And,"  here  his  face  softened  with  an  infin- 
ite pity,  "perhaps  within  forty  years  from  now 
we  may  have  another  lesson  in  the  opportunity 
for  denying  the  existence  of  the  past." 

"But  maybe,"  he  continued,  "you  would  like 
to  hear  some  of  the  actual  records  brought  down 
even  to  your  day,  of  an  event  that  concerns  so 
intimately  every  living  person  now  upon  our 
planet." 

Upon  my  eager  assent  he  went  into  his  cabin 
and  soon  returned  with  a  small  black-letter  vol- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  49 

ume,  written  after  the  style  of  the  Far  East,  upon 
parchment,  from  right  to  left.  Opening  it  he 
read  in  his  sweetly  modulated  tones,  translating 
as  he  read,  the  following  extract: 

"Facing  the  Pillars  of  Hercules  was  an  island 
larger  than  Africa  and  Europe  put  together.  Be- 
side this  main  island  there  were  many  other 
smaller  ones,  so  that  it  was  easy  to  cross  from 
one  to  another  as  far  as  the  further  continent. 
This  land  was  indeed  a  continent,  and  the  sea 
was  the  real  ocean  in  comparison  to  which  "The 
Sea"  of  the  Greeks  was  but  a  bay  with  a  narrow 
mouth. 

"In  the  Atlantic  island  a  powerful  federation 
of  Kings  was  formed,  who  subdued  the  larger 
island  itself  and  many  of  the  smaller  islands 
and  also  parts  of  the  further  continent.  They 
also  reduced  Africa  within  the  Straits  as  far  as 
Egypt,  and  Europe  as  far  as  Tyrrhenia.  Far- 
ther aggression,  ho\vever,  was  stopped  by  the 
heroic  action  of  the  then  inhabitants  of  Attica, 


50  OUR  STORY 

who,  taking  the  lead  of  the  oppressed  States, 
finally  secured  liberty  to  all  who  dwelt  within 
the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  Subsequently,  both 
laces  w-ere  destroyed  by  mighty  cataclysms, 
which  brought  destruction  in  a  single  day  and 
night.  The  natural  features  of  the  Attic  land 
were  entirely  changed  and  the  Atlantic  island 
sank  bodily  beneath  the  waves. 

"In  the  center  of  the  Atlantic  Island  was  a 
fair  and  beautiful  plain.  In  the  center  of  this 
plain  and  nearly  six  miles  from  its  confines  was 
a  low  range  of  hills.  Here  dwelt  for  many  gen- 
erations the  renowned  race  of  Atlan,  from  whom 
the  whole  island  and  sea  were  named  Atlantic 
or  Atlantis.  The  ruling  Kings  ever  handed 
down  the  succession  of  power  to  their  eldest 
sons,  the  younger  sons  going  into  the  priest- 
hood. They  were  possessed  of  such  wealth  as 
no  dynasty  ever  yet  obtained  or  will  easily  pro- 
cure hereafter.  This  wealth  was  drawn  both 
from  all  foreign  nations  with  whom  the  Atlan- 


OF  ATLANTIS.         ,  51 

tians  traded  and  from  Atlantis  itself,  which  was 
especially  rich  in  minerals,  and  possessed  the 
only  known  mines  of  orichalcum  in  the  world, 
a  mineral  with  most  wonderful  and  inexhaustible 
properties — a  metal  which  was  then  second  onlw 
to  gold  in  its  value. 

"The  country  was  rich  also  in  timber  and 
pasturage.  Moreover,  there  were  vast  numbers 
of  elephants,  spices,  gums  and  odorous  plants  of 
every  description ;  flowers,  fruit  trees  and  vege- 
tables of  all  kinds,  and  many  other  luxurious 
products  which  this  wonderful  Continent,  ow- 
ing to  its  beneficent  climate,  brought  forth. 
These  were  sacred,  beautiful,  curious  and  infi- 
nite in  number.  Nor  were  the  inhabitants  con- 
tent with  simply  the  natural  advantages  of  their 
glorious  country,  but  also  displayed  a  marvelous 
industry  and  skill  in  engineering  and  the  con- 
structive arts.  For,  in  the  center  of  the  island 
they  built  a  royal  palace,  every  succeeding  King 
trying  to  surpass  his  predecessor  in  adorning  and 


5i  OUR  STORY 

adding  to  the  building,  so  that  it  struck  all  be- 
holders with  the  greatest  admiration. 

"They  cut  about  the  Royal  Palace  a  series  of 
waterways  or  canals.  These  were  bridged  over 
at  intervals,  while  an  immense  canal  admitted 
the  largest  vessels  from  the  sea,  giving  at  once 
protection  as  a  harbor,  and  making  it  more  con- 
venient for  the  transportation  of  freight  to  and 
from  the  interior.  In  fashioning  their  interior 
streams  they  left  docks  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock 
where  their  triremes  could  land  their  cargoes. 

"The  stone  used  in  their  building  was  of  three 
colors,  white,  black  and  red,  so  that  many  of 
the  buildings  presented  a  gay  appearance.  Their 
walls  were  covered  witii  brass  (which  they  used 
like  plaster),  tin  and  orichalcum,  which  had  a 
glittering  appearance. 

"Northeast  of  the  center  of  the  Continent, 
stood  the  great  Temple.  The  interior  was  cov- 
ered with  silver,  except  the  pediments  and  pin- 
nacles,  which  were   lined   with   gold.      Within, 


OF  ATLANTIS.  S3 

the  roof  was  a  magnificent  mosaic  of  gold,  ivory 
and  orichalcum,  and  all  walls,  pillars  and  pave- 
ments were  covered  with  orichalcum. 

"By  a  system  of  aqueducts  leading  from  na- 
tural springs  of  hot  and  cold  water,  they  had 
supplies  for  baths,  and  for  the  irrigation  of  their 
beautiful  plantations  and  gardens. 

"The  docks  were  filled  with  shipping  and 
na\  al  stores  of  every  description  known  to  men 
at  that  time.  The  whole  city  teemed  with  a 
dense  population.  The  main  canal  and  largest 
harbor  were  crowded  with  merchant  shipping  re- 
turned from,  or  making  ready  to  sail  for,  all 
parts  of  the  world.  The  din  and  tumult  of 
their  commerce  continued  all  day  long,  and  the 
night  through  as  well.  Such  is  a  general  sketch 
of  their  wonderful  city. 

"Now,  as  regards  the  rest  of  the  country;  it 
was  very  mountainous  with  exceedingly  precipi- 
tous coasts,  and  the  plain  surrounding  the  city 
was  itself  environed  by  a  mountain  chain  broken 


54  OUR  STORY 

only  at  the  sea  entrance.  The  plain  was  smooth 
and  level  and  of  an  oblong  shape,  lying  North 
and  South.  The  mountains  were  said  to  be  the 
grandest  in  the  world  for  their  number,  size  and 
beauty.  The  whole  country  was  a  constant  suc- 
cession of  prosperous  and  wealthy  villages,  for 
there  was  an  abundance  of  rivers  and  lakes, 
meadows  and  pasturage  for  all  kinds  of  cattle 
and  quantities  of  timber.  They  surrounded  this 
plain  with  an  enormous  canal  or  dike,  loi  feet 
deep,  606  feet  broad  and  1,250  miles  in  length. 
By  it  the  water  from  the  mountains  was  con- 
ducted around  the  whole  plain,  and  while  a  part 
flowed  out  to  the  sea,  the  rest  was  husbanded 
for  irrigation.  They  were  able,  by  raising  two 
crops  a  year,  to  double  their  productive  capacity. 
"In  the  polity  of  the  Atlantians  the  Kings 
maintained  an  autocracy  and  the  priesthood  were 
their  council  of  consultation  in  all  matters  of 
State,  until  at  last  the  power  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  priesthood. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  55 

"For  many  generations,  the  rulers,  King  and 
priest  remained  obedient  to  their  ancestral  tra- 
ditions. For  they  possessed  true  and  altogether 
lofty  ideas  and  exercised  mildness  and  practical 
wisdom,  both  in  the  ordinary  vicissitudes  of  life 
and  in  their  mutual  relations.  They  looked  /_ 
above  everything  except  virtue.  They  consid- 
ered things  present  of  small  importance,  and 
contentedly  bore  their  weight  of  riches  as  a  bur- 
den. Nor  were  they  intoxicated  with  luxury, 
but  clearly  perceived  that  wealth  and  possessions 
are  increased  by  mutual  friendship  and  the  prac- 
tice of  true  virtue ;  whereas,  by  a  too  anxious 
pursuit  of  riches  the  possessions  themselves  are 
corrupted  and  friendship  also  perishes  therewith.^ 
Thus  it  was  they  reached  the  great  height  of 
prosperity  we  have  described. 

"But  when,  at  the  last,  their  mortal  natures 
began  seeking  to  dominate  and  override  the  Di- 
vine within  and  about  them,  they  commenced 
to  display  unbecoming  conduct,  and  to  degener- 


56  OUR  STORY 

ate;   thus  blighting  and   finally    destroying    the 
fairest  of  their  most  valuable  possessions." 

"This,"  said  my  friend,  "is  as  authentic  an 
account  as  that  of  any  nation  of  whom  we  have 
any  history,  for  it  was  handed  down  from  father 
to  son  in  the  ancient  Atlantian  writing,  which 
was  perfected  about  25,000  years  before  theV^ 
Christian  era  commenced.' 

Just  then  some  duty  claimed  my  immediate 
attention  and  as  he  rose  up  to  return  to  his  cabin 
he  looked  me  fully  in  the  face  and  remarked :  "If 
I  mistake  not,  the  tim.e  is  close  at  hand  when 
your  desire  for  information  on  these  lines  will 
be  more  fully  gratified. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IT  was  a  day  or  two  before  we  had  a  chance  for 
any  more  conversation,  for  he  seemed  to  be 
very  busy  in  his  own  cabinwithwhat  looked 
like  an  ancient  map  and  a  number  of  diagrams 
of  cabalistic  calculations,  which  I  fully  recog- 
nized, for  I  had  some  experience  with  researches 
along  that  line,  and  could,  to  a  certain  extent, 
verify  some  of  the  simpler  rules  of  deductions 
from  the  Caballa.  But,  as  I  could  see,  the  oper- 
ations upon  which  he  was  engaged  were  very 
complex  and  far  reaching  and  concerned  some  of 
the  mightiest  secrets  of  planetary  creation. 

I  also  noticed  while  the  problems  seemed  very 
abstruse  and  complicated,  he  did  not  seem  at  a 
loss  in  any  sense,  or  puzzled.  His  absorption 
being  the  result  rather  of  the  length  of  the 
process. 


58  OUR  STORY 

At  last  he  appeared  to  have  reached  a  favor- 
able conclusion  and  his  data  and  memoranda 
were  put  awa_v.  Once  more  he  came  upon  deck. 
Although  for  a  few  days  he  apparently  put  aside 
a  continuation  of  his  former  talk  about  Atlantis, 
yet  there  was  an  uplifted  expression  of  content, 
lending  an  added  charm  to  the  ever-restful  dig- 
nity of  the  perfect  face. 

While  he  had  been  tlius  busy  it  had  occurred 
to  me  I  had  an  odd  volume  in  my  locker  I  had 
picked  up  in  a  second-hand  stall  in  Boston,  in- 
tending to  examine  It  at  my  leisure.  Now,  hav- 
ing my  interest  aroused  I  brought  it  out  and 
found  among  much  that  was  quite  discursive,  the 
following  pertinent  paragraphs: 

"The  fourth  Continent,  which  it  has  been 
agreed  to  call  Atlantis,  was  formed  by  the  coal- 
escence of  many  islands  and  peninsulas  that  were 
upheaved  in  the  ordinary  course  of  evolution  and 
became  ultimately  the  true  home  of  the  great 
race  known  as  the  Atlantians,  a  race  developed 


OF  ATLANTIS.  59 

from  a  nucleus  of  Northern  Lemurians,  cen- 
tered, generally  speaking,  towards  a  point  of 
land  in  what  is  now  the  mid-Atlantic  Ocean. 

"In  connection  with  the  Continent  of  Atlan- 
tis we  should  bear  in  mind  that  the  account  which 
has  come  down  to  us  through  the  old  Greek 
writers  contains  a  confusion  of  statements,  some 
of  them  referring  to  the  great  Continent  as  a 
whole,  and  others  to  the  last,  small  island  of 
Posidonis.  Plato,  for  instance,  condensed  the 
whole  history  of  the  Continent  of  Atlantis,  cov- 
ering several  millions  of  years  into  an  event, 
he  located  upon  the  island  of  Poseidonis  (about 
as  large  as  Ireland)  ;  whereas,  the  priests  spoke 
always  of  Atlantis  as  a  continent  as  large  as 
Europe  and  Africa  put  together.  Homer  speaks 
of  the  Atlantes  and  their  island.  The  Atlantes 
and  the  Atlantides  of  mythology  are  based  upon 
the  Atlantes  and  Atlantides  of  history.  The 
story  of  Atlas  gives  clearly  to  us  the  clue.  Atlas 
is  the  personification  in  a  single  symbol  of  the 


6o  OUR   STORY 

combined  continents  of  Lemuria  and  Atlantis. 
The  poets  attribute  to  Atlas,  as  to  Proteus,  a  su- 
perior wisdom  and  a  universal  knowledge,  and 
especially  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the 
depths  of  the  ocean;  because  both  continents  hav- 
ing borne  races  instructed  by  divine  masters, 
were  each  transferred  to  the  bottom  of  the  seas, 
where  they  now  slumber  until  the  appointed 
time  shall  come  to  reappear  above  the  waters. 
And  as  both  Lemuria,  destroyed  by  submarine 
fires,  and  Atlantis  submerger  by  the  waves,  per- 
ished in  the  ocean  depths,  Atlas  is  said  to  have 
been  compelled  to  leave  the  surface  of  the  earth 
and  join  his  father  lapetus  in  the  depths  of  Tar- 
tarus. 

"Atlas  then  personifies  a  continent  in  the 
West,  said  to  support  heaven  and  earth  at  once; 
that  is,  the  feet  of  the  giants  tread  the  earth 
while  his  shoulders  support  the  sky,  an  allusion 
to  the  gigantic  peaks  of  the  ancient  continents, 
Mount  Atlas  and   the  TenerifEe  Peak.     These 


OF  ATLANTIS.  6i 

two  dwarfed  relics  of  the  two  lost  continents 
were  thrice  as  lofty  during  the  day  of  Lemuria 
and  twice  as  high  in  that  of  Atlantis.  Atlas 
was  an  inaccessible  island  peak  in  the  days  of 
Lemuria,  when  the  African  Continent  had  not 
yet  been  raised. 

"Lemuria  should  no  more  be  confounded  with 
the  Atlantis  Continent  than  Europe  with  Amer- 
ica. Both  sank  and  were  drowned  with  their 
hifrh  civilizations  and  'gods,'  yet  between  the  two 
two  catastrophes  a  period  of  about  700,000  years 
elapsed. 

"Why  should  not  your  geologists  bear  in  mind 
that  under  the  continents  explored  and  fathomed 
by  them,  in  the  bowels  of  which  they  have  found 
the  Eocene  age,  there  may  be  hidden  deep  in  the 
unfathomable  ocean  beds,  other  and  far  older 
continents  whose  strata  have  never  been  geologi- 
cally explored,  and  that  they  may  some  day  up- 
set their  present  theories." 

Amazed  at  this  singular  corroboration  of  what 


62  OUR   STORY 

my  friend  had  previously  read  me,  I  concluded 
I  would  ask  him  something  more  about  it,  at 
the  first  opportunity,  not  dreaming  that  the  op- 
portunity of  lives  was  close  at  hand. 

During  all  this  time  we  had  been  making  good 
time  toward  the  South.  Both  officers  and  men 
had  been  attracted  toward  our  passenger,  and  all 
were  ready  to  give  him  the  little  attentions  which 
make  a  stranger  feel  at  home  anywhere.  T  men- 
tion this  as  explanatory  of  some  events  which 
happened  a  little  later. 

The  winds  had  been  brisk  and  favorable,  but 
as  we  approached  the  Spanish  Main  they  grew 
fitful,  and  when  we  had  traversed  a  part  of  that 
West  Indian  Archipelago,  they  fell  awav  into 
a  dead  calm.  Our  ship  drifted  a  little  to  the 
South,  but  made  no  particular  headway.  On 
the  third  day,  the  moon  fulled  at  noon  and 
we  were  lying  in  about  ;^o  degrees  North  lati- 
tude and  42  degrees  West  longitude,  when  my 
friend  asked  me  if  I  would  like  to  go  with  him 


OF  ATLANTIS.  63 

to  visft  a  peculiar  looking  island,  about  a  couple 
of  miles  to  the  westward.  Upon  rny  rather 
eager  assent,  the  captain  granted  us  the  use  of 
his  yawl,  and  though  he  proffered  us  the  help 
of  some  of  the  crew,  our  friend  declined,  saying 
he  had  been  much  accustomed  to  the  water. 

We  pushed  off,  I  taking  a  pair  of  oars  and  he 
steering.  I  had  hardly  taken  a  couple  of  strokes 
with  the  oars,  uhen  I  felt  that  the  rapid  im- 
pulsion of  the  boat  was  not  due  to  my  strength.  I 
glanced  at  my  companion.  His  face  was  set 
with  a  peculiar  expression,  of  which  I  had  be- 
fore had  experience  in  other  directions. 

A  very  short  time  sufficed  to  bring  us  to  this 
island,  which  on  closer  inspection  seemed  to  be  the 
summit  of  some  huge  obelisk  or  pillar,  a  little 
raised  above  the  waves.  The  sides,  although  not 
high,  were  sheer  and  precipitous.  In  the  still 
Avaters  the\'  extended  below  the  surface,  as  far 
as  vision  could  penetrate.  How  much  farther,  I 
had  no  means  of  ascertaining.     We  rowed  slowjy 


64  OUR  STORY 

around  it.  It  was  about  150  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence. On  the  side  farthest  from  the  vessel  the 
face  of  the  rock  was  broken  jaggedly  by  the 
weather.  The  projections  gave  opportunity  for 
fastening  the  yawl,  and  for  climbing  to  the  sum- 
mit. If  there  had  been  any  swell  of  the  ocean 
even  this  would  have  been  impossible,  but  with 
a  sea  of  glass  all  about  us  it  was  not  a  very  dif- 
ficult task.  Having  securely  knotted  the  boat's 
painter  to  a  stout  protuberance,  we  scrambled  as 
best  we  might  to  the  top. 

To  my  utter  surprise,  instead  of  the  flat,  solid 
mass,  roughened  by  the  weather,  which  I  expected 
to  find,  it  was  cup-shaped  in  the  center,  evidently 
filling  with  water  during  storms,  and  drying 
out  under  the  hot  sun.  It  was  now  dry  at  the 
bottom.  Looking  closely  at  the  sides  I  saw  that 
instead  of  being  a  mass  of  natural  rock,  it  was 
a  structure  built  of  masonry  by  cunning  hands, 
so  perfectly  and  solidly  as  to  defy,  thus  far,  the 
fierce  action  of  the  most  erosive   forces  of   na- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  65 

ture.     The  floor  was  laid   in   regular    flagging. 
Almost  stunned   by   the   discovery,    I    turned    to 
my  companion,  but  my  exclamation  of  surprise 
was  checked  by  his  actions.     Standing  erect,  in 
the  very  center,   with   his  face    to    the    North, 
guiding  himself  by  a  small  compass  and  a  little 
square   of   parchment,    upon     which     characters 
were  inscribed,  he  turned  15  degrees  to.  the  East 
and  stepped   forward   one  pace.     Then   turning 
15    degrees   more   he   stepped     forward     another 
pace.     He  repeated  this  operation  until  he  faced 
due  East.     There  standing  erct,  his  form  seemed 
to  dilate,  and  his  face  grew  fixed  and  set  in  its 
whole  outline.     All  at  once  I  perceived  a  large 
disc  of  stone  had  revolved  at  his  feet,  exposing 
a  flight  of  stone  steps  leading  into  a  room  below. 
Coming  back  to  himself  he  motioned  me  to  fol- 
low him,  and  slowly  we  descended  the  stairs  into 
an  ante-room  below,  opening  into  a  larger  room. 
As  we  stepped  upon  this  floor  a  light  which  came 
from  nowhere  in  particular,  lighted  up  the  whole 


66  OUR  STORY 

interior.  Limitless  age  had  laid  his  desecrating 
hand  upon  everything.  But  as  this  had  been  her- 
metically sealed  by  the  waves,  the  dust  "  that 
would  otherwise  have  accumulated  in  the  upper 
air  was  not  present.  In  the  center  of  the  room 
were  five  stone  seats,  on  each  was  a  little  pile 
of  dust.  My  companion,  still  silent,  stepped  to 
the  East,  and  facing  the  seats,  made  one  of  the 
signs  of  Power.  As  he  did  so  I  thought  I  heard 
a  suppressed  sob  of  joy,  but  it  was  not  distinct 
enough  to  be  unmistakable.  Then  going  to  the 
exact  opposite  side  of  the  wall,  which  was  par- 
titioned into  a  series  of  curious  entablatures,  he 
touched  some  mechanism,  which,  preserved 
through  the  ages,  obeyed  the  will  of  this  won- 
derful man.  A  door  slid  back,  through  which 
we  passed  into  a  chamber  below.  Here  we 
found  seven  seats.  On  each  rested  those  curious 
little  piles  of  dust.  My  friend  repeated  the  sign 
made  in  the  room  above,  and  then  a  sound  like 
the  tremor  of  an  Eolian  harp  rose  in  volume  un- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  67 

til  the  vibration  filling  the  room,  shook  the  walls 
of  the  tower  in  which  we  were  standing.  Turn- 
ing to  the  Eastern  face  of  the  wall,  from  a  niche 
therein  he  drew  out  a  little  stone  box.  Holding 
this  carefully,  he  retraced  his  steps  towards  the 
upper  air,  closely  followed  by  myself.  With 
the  greatest  care  he  closed  behind  him  every  av- 
enue, thus  sealing  once  more  for  future  unfold- 
ing, whatever  there  might  be  of  knowledge  or 
mystery  here  concealed.  When  the  disc  at  the 
top  had  rolled  into  its  place,  a  roll  of  pigment 
was  placed  in  his  hand  by  unseen  helpers.  With 
this  he  traced  upon  the  tightly  joined  edges  a 
character  which  burst  into  a  silvery  flame  as  it 
appeared  upon  the  stone,  and  left  a  blood-red 
mark  behind  it.  Then  proceeding  to  the  side 
where  the  boat  lay  waiting  for  us,  we  managed 
without  any  difficulty  to  seat  ourselves  in  it  and 
push  off,  he  steering,  as  before. 

Singular  as  it  may  seem,  without  any  precon- 
certed  instruction   or   word   of   warning,   not   a 


68  OUR  STORY 

word  had  been  interchanged  between  us  from 
the  moment  of  our  landing  until  we  were  again 
in  motion  upon  the  water.  On  my  part  the 
silence  was  involuntary.  I  seemed  to  stand  in  a 
vortex  of  recurring  memory,  coming  down  over- 
whelmingly upon  me.  I  was  too  busy  within 
myself  in  attempting  to  readjust  the  past,  the 
present  and  the  promises  of  the  future,  to  leave 
any  time  for  the  frivolity  of  speech.  I  could 
not  resist  the  feeling  that  these  rock-ribbed  cham- 
bers were,  in  some  peculiar  way,  a  part  of  my- 
self. I  knew  I  had  been  perfectly  familiar  with 
the  purposes  of  their  erection,  their  use,  and  of 
some  final  issue,  appalling  and  benumbing  in  its 
effect.  More  than  that.  The  five  seats  of  the 
upper  chamber  and  the  seven  seats  of  the  lower, 
to  my  inner  vision,  were  filled  with  an  occu- 
pant, shadowy,  but  so  distinct  I  could  recognize 
the  features,  as  one  recalls  the  lineaments  of  a 
long  absent  friend.  Then  came  the  names  as  if 
I   had  parted  with  them  only  yesterday.     Oh, 


OF  ATLANTIS.  69 

Memory  the  Eternal!  was  it  yesterday,  or  thou- 
sands of  years  ago  since  I  looked  upon  these 
faces  and  forms  of  comrades  loving  and  true? 
The  feeling  of  present  reality,  of  some  tie  strong- 
er than  friendship  overwhelmed  me.  When  my 
friend  made  the  sign  I  mentioned,  a  burden  of 
untold  weight  was  lifted  from  my  shoulders,  as 
if  an  expiation  were  finished,  a  terrible  mistake 
rectified  whose  consequence  all  my  life,  up  to 
that  hour,  had  cramped  and  restrained  all  my 
unfolding  and  its  energies.  All  this  and  much 
more  that  words  will  utterly  fail  to  portray, 
held  me  silent  as  my  friend  did,  what  he  evident- 
ly came  to  do,  taking  me  as  an  involuntary  ac- 
complice. 

Sitting  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  facing  me, 
with  the  stone  casket  resting  on  his  knees,  he 
looked  at  me  with  a  grave  smile,  and  said : 

"My  brother:  I  see  my  confidence  in  thee  was 
not  founded  in  simple  assumption,  but  in  knowl- 
edge.    Thou  hast  learned  well  the  lesson  whose 


70  OUR  STORY 

closing  clause  is  to  keep  silent.  Therebj^  thou 
hast  proved  also  thy  position  in  the  Great  Broth- 
erhood, whose  first  charter  was  issued  by  the 
Atlantian  Kings.  I  greet  thee,  Ancient  Wise 
One." 

While  saying  this  his  whole  face  lighted  up  as 
if  from  an  inner  fire.  The  action  of  the  sympa- 
thetic exaltation  on  myself  was  beyond  the  power 
of  words  to  describe.  It  was  as  if  one  had  sud- 
denly come  to  a  perception  of  almost  infinite 
power,  and  without  a  particle  of  arrogance  in  the 
possession.     I  could  only  reply: 

"I  feel  that  we  must  have  been  brothers,  but 
you  do  me  great  honor  in  naming  me  thus." 

"Before  we  reach  the  ship  I  must  tell  you," 
continued  my  comrade,  "that  it  has  been  per- 
mitted you  for  purpose,  to  revisit  the  tower  of 
the  Great  Temple  of  Atlantis,  in  which  were 
gathered  for  concentration  during  the  last  awful 
cataclysm  which  sent  the  continent  beneath  the 
waters  all  the  living  members  of  the    most  po- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  71 

tent  Brotherhood  that  has  ever  existed. 

"You  entered  the  chambers  of  the  three,  the 
five  and  the  seven.  The  whole  continent  is  slov^r- 
ly  rising  once  more.  The  top  of  the  tower, 
which  was  100  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  and 
210  feet  high,  has  again  reached  the  upper  air. 
The  transparent  dome,  which  covered  the  cham- 
ber of  the  three  has  been  destroyed  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  waves.  We  do  not  know  whether 
the  mason r}^  of  the  upper  stories  will  be  able  to 
resist  the  erosion  of  fierce  tropical  storms  or  not, 
as  little  by  little  it  reaches  the  surface. 

"It  was  thought  best  by  the  Brotherhood  to 
rescue  this :"  here  he  touched  the  little  casket, 
"before  it  might  be  overwhelmed  and  forever  hid- 
den by  the  insatiable  maw  of  the  waters.  It 
contains  the  fullest  continuous  record  of  the  last 
years  of  our  once  glorious  country,  at  present 
accessible. 

"The  chambers  which  we  entered  were  built 
perfectly  air  and  water-tight,  and  for  that  rea- 


72  OUR    STORY 

son  have  preserved  their  contents  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  Below  the  last  chamber  we  entered 
was  that  of  the  fifteen,  and  still  below  that,  the 
chamber  of  the  forty-five.  I  did  not  enter  them, 
for  I  was  warned  that  I  might  thereby  afford 
opportunity  for  the  waters  pressing  up  from  be- 
low, to  wipe  out  all  vestiges  of  this  ancient  home 
of  the  Brotherhood,  which  to  later  generations 
may  be  ocular  demonstration  of  our  existence. 

"Obligation  rested  heavily  on  the  three,  the 
five  and  the  seven.  They  could  not  be  set  free 
entirely  from  its  responsibility  until  such  time 
as  either  the  bounds  were  destroyed,  as  in  the 
upper  chamber,  or  one  clothed  with  authority 
entering  their  resting  place  should  give  them 
their  signal  of  release,  which  I  did.  Below  the 
seven,  the  failure  of  conditions  above  absolved 
the  members  of  the  remaining  chambers,  and 
they  were  set  free  in  a  very  short  time  after  the 
cataclysm. 

"You  are  well  known  to  me  as  to  the  rest  of 


OF  ATLANTIS.  73 

the  Ancient  Brotherhood,  and  have  been  chosen 
again  as  in  the  long  ago  past,  to  be  the  spokes- 
man of  our  beloved  Order,  in  its  newest  appeal 
to  mankind,  and  we  are  sure  that  mistakes  of 
the  intellect  in  the  past  will  not  be  repeated  in 
the  present.  But  we  are  approaching  the  ship. 
The  most  important  object  of  our  voyage,  the 
possession  of  these  records,  which  no  person  liv- 
ing or  dead  could  obtain  without  your  actual 
presence  in  the  flesh  is  accomplished.  The  voy- 
age was  planned  and  undertaken  for  this  pur- 
pose, and  will  result  as  planned.  Our  vessel 
has  been  lying  over  the  entrance  to  the  great 
port,  at  the  mouth  draining  the  Atlantian  Con- 
tinent, from  which,  before  the  overthrow,  a  mag- 
nificent panorama  of  the  fairest  land  the  sun 
ever  shone  on,  was  visible. 

"We  could  not  accomplish  our  object  until 
near  the  full  moon,  so  the  calm  has  lasted  until 
this  time.  But  to-night  as  the  sun  goes  down  a 
breeze  will  spring  up,  and  by  to-morrow  our  voy- 


74  OUR    STORY 

age  will  be  moving  rapidly  forward  to  its  com- 
pletion." 

It  did  not  occur  to  me,  during  all  this  recital, 
to  object  either  to  the  facts  stated  or  to  the  cer- 
tain, quiet  assumption  of  myself  as  one  of  the 
willing  accessories  of  the  plan  he  had  thus  hastily 
sketched.  It  seemed  quite  a  matter  of  course 
that  the  sole  object  of  my  making  this  voyage 
was  the  accomplishment  of  what  I  now,  with 
mortal  ears,  for  the  first  time  heard.  Nay,  more, 
I  felt  a  certain  enthusiasm,  a  quiet  joy  in  being 
thus  permitted  to  do  the  task,  whatever  it  might 
be  that  was  set  for  me,  as  an  integral  factor  of 
the  whole,  to  complete.  I  know  that  this  is  not 
at  all  the  thing  likely  to  happen,  according  to 
deduction  from  what  we  know  of  human  nature. 
But  as  this  story  is  one  of  facts  on  new  lines, 
we  cannot  be  guided  by  precedents,  or  the  work- 
ing of  known  laws ;  as  we  seek  rather  in  the  fields 
of  the  unexplained  laws  of  nature,  for  a  solution 
of  the  phenomena  presented. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  75 

But  we  were  now  close  to  the  ship  and  the 
men  were  making  ready  to  hoist  the  yawl  aboard. 
As  we  reached  the  deck  my  friend  showed  his 
casket,  as  a  curious  souvenir  of  the  stone  pile 
we  had  visited.  After  looking  at  it  casually  they 
assented  to  the  fact:  "It  was  a  nice  bit  of  rock, 
looks  a  trifle  water-worn  though."  And  so, 
knowledge  of  incalculable  value  passed  beyond 
their  reach,  forever;  or  at  the  least,  until  the  re- 
finer's furnace  of  the  ages  shall  have  prepared 
them  more  fully  for  the  perception  of  that  which 
may  at  any  time  be  offered  them. 


CHAPTER  V. 

AS  the  sun  sank  on  the  Western  horizon  a 
northeastern  wind  began  to  strain  out 
our  "idly  flapping  sails,"  and  the  good 
ship  once  more  moved  merrily  over  the  waters. 

The  full  moon  of  the  tropics  climbed  out  of 
the  great  wastes  of  waters,  and  my  friend  and 
I  sat  on  the  quarter-deck,  chatting  of  various 
matters.  Suddenly,  as  if  some  one  had  spoken 
to  him  in  reminder  of  some  event,  he  said ;  "Yes, 
certainly;  at  once." 

A  moment  after,  the  stone  casket  which  I  had 
seen  in  his  cabin  just  before  sunset,  was  put  into 
his  hands,  coming  about  as  fast  as  a  man  would 
walk,  out  of  the  companion  way.  At  that  time 
no  one  else  was  near  us  on  the  deck,  therefore  no 
remarks  were  made. 

In  my  peculiar  state  of  mind  tliis,  too,  seemed 


OF  ATLANTIS.  77 

perfectly  natural,  as  well  as  what  followed. 

Taking  the  casket  in  his  hands  he  pointed 
out  to  me  several  characters  and  symbols  en- 
graved deeply  in  the  stone.  Calling  my  atten- 
tion to  a  form  of  the  winged  globe,  he  said: 
"That  is  the  signet  seal  of  him  who  was  our 
most  learned,  Ancient  Brother.  It  holds  the 
contents  of  the  casket  in  trust  for  him  who  hath 
the  password.     Let  us  see  if  we  may  open  it. 

"Lay  the  open  palm  of  your  left  hand  on  mine, 
the  fingers  straight,  and  say  as  thou  mayest  re- 
ceive out  of  the  silence.  If  thou  art  he  whom 
I  have  expected  to  meet,  it  is  well.  If  not,,  then 
it  is  still  only  patience  for  further  waiting." 

He  held  out  his  left  hand,  palm  up.  I  placed 
my  own  left  hand  upon  it,  palm  to  palm.  As  I 
did  so,  a  little  shock  passed  over  my  whole  body 
like  an  electric  thrill,  only  a  little  more  intense. 
His  eye  shining  with  a  piercing  brilliancy,  caught 
mine.  Then  I  felt  another  hand  lying  on  the 
back  of  mine,  and  a  form  shadowed  out  of  the 


78  OUR  STORY 

thin  air  by  my  side,  and  simultaneously  I  could 
see  the  full,  regal  proportions  of  a  most  majestic 
figure  standing  beside  us.  Prominently  out  of 
the  shadow,  as  when  one  feels  the  sun's  rays,  I 
could  distinctly  feel  the  brightness  of  another 
pair  of  eyes  similar  to  those  of  my  friend  in  the 
body. 

At  the  same  moment  of  time  there  came  ring- 
ing through  the  air  to  my  ears  a  low,  musical 
chant.  Instantly  I  appeared  to  be  up-borne 
where  beneath  me  a  vast  city  lay  spread  out,  in 
all  its  beauty  and  glory  for  many  leagues.  We 
three  still  remained  together  in  the  same  relative 
position.  I  had  lost  all  consciousness  of  any  dif- 
ference of  condition  in  the  three  present,  who 
seemed  equal  in  every  respect.  At  this  instant, 
a  single  syllable  from  my  friend's  lips,  indescrib- 
able in  its  intonation,  arrested  my  attention. 
Without  volition  of  my  lower  consciousness,  in 
exactly  the  same  cadence  I  uttered  a  syllable,  and 
then,  like  the  soft,  clear  ringing  of  a  silver  bell, 


OF  ATLANTIS.  79 

thrilled  from  the  lips  of  our  bodyless  brother, 
the  third  syllable  of  a  word  whose  awful  powers 
all  mystics  concede. 

As  the  last  note  rang  out  into  space  the  casket 
came  once  more  fully  into  my  consciousness.  I 
saw  it  open  slowly,  until  the  cover  turned  fully 
back,  and  revealed  a  large  roll  of  the  finest  papy- 
rus, clearly  written  in  plain  but  minute  char- 
acters of  what  we  have  supposed  was  a  transi- 
tion period  of  Egyptian  civilization. 

My  friend  reverently  raised  the  scroll  from  its 
resting  place.  As  he  did  so  a  fragrance  inimitable 
and  of  bewildering  effect  upon  the  senses  poured 
from  it.  Holding  this  precious  record  of  the 
past  in  his  hands  he  said : 

"For  over  29,000  years,  my  brother,  this  papy- 
rus has  not  seen  the  light.  When  it  was  last 
inclosed  in  this  casket  and  sealed,  we  three,  still 
in  the  body,  looked  forward  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  much  that  was  beyond  the  power  of  lim- 
ited mortal  potency.     I  am  glad  to  greet  thee, 


8o  OUR  STORY 

my  companion  and  brother.  I  was  not  mistaken 
in  thee,  for  to  no  power  but  the  presence  of  the 
three  would  the  casket  have  yielded  its  contents. 
When  I  shall  have  read  it  to  you  it  will  be  left 
in  your  hands  for  safe  keeping.  To-morrow  we 
will  begin  our  work,  giving  six  of  the  early  hours 
of  the  day  to  it." 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SO  on  the  next  morning  we  commenced  our 
tale  of  transfer  and  rescription.  He 
translated  while  I  wrote  down  in  short- 
hand that  which  he  thus  gave  me.  At  the  first 
it  was  slowly  given,  owing  to  the  fact  of  my  be- 
ing a  little  rusty  in  my  stenography,  but  as  I 
recalled  my  skill,  our  speed  increased. 

The  MSS.  was  a  full  and  com.plete  record  of 
all  that  concerned  that  wonderful  country, 
whose  daring  leaders,  like  many  another  seeking 
to  manifest  unusual  pcjwcr,  have  come  in  con- 
tact with  impassible  limitations  and  pulled  down 
their  country  and  involved  all  in  irretrievable 
disaster,  because  they  lacked  omnipotence  to  carry 
out  their  designs.  But  I  will  not  anticipate,  but 
submit  to  my  readers  the  history  of  Atlantis  and 


82  OUR  STORY 

the  story  of  the  secret  causes  that  led  to  the  final 
overthrow,  as  I  have  copied  it  from  the  notes 
of  that  never-to-be-forgotten  voyage.  It  begins 
with  an  invocation  by  the  Scribe,  as  follows: 

"I,  Tlana,  Scribe  of  the  Mighty  Three,  to 
whom  it  has  been  given  strictly  in  charge  so  to 
do,  herein  write  the  history  of  my  beloved  coun- 
try. This  is  to  be  for  the  instruction  and  en- 
lightenment of  my  people,  when  they,  in  the  far 
off  ages  to  come  shall  need  more  than  bread,  help 
to  recurring  memory.  I  demand  for  this  under- 
taking, the  necessary  assistance  and  guidance 
from  the  Brotherhood  of  both  the  Invisible  and 
the  Visible,  so  soon  to  become  of  the  Invisible; 
from  the  gods  of  Wisdom  and  Power,  and  from 
the  Supreme  Ruler  of  All,  that  I  may  say  that 
which  is  best  and  most  instructive  concerning  the 
actions  and  conditions  of  our  nation  from  its 
beginning  to  now.     (About  29,0CX)  B.  C.) 

"Our  Continent  follows  the  general  outline 
of  all  the  others  now  in  manifestation  upon  the 


OF  ATLANTIS.  83 

Earth.  It  is  about  1,000  miles  broad  at  its  wid- 
est point,  and  3,000  miles  long  at  its  longest  di- 
mension. The  surface  is  mostly  level,  consist- 
ing of  vast  fertile  plains.  But  to  the  West, 
North  and  East  the  country  becomes  mountain- 
ous. From  these  mountains,  as  a  water  shed,  a 
river  with  its  branches  drains  nearly  the  whole 
length  of  the  Continent.  Its  waters,  diverted 
through  an  artificial  canal  and  locks,  forms  the 
great  port  of  the  City  of  Atlantis,  which  extends 
from  this  canal,  northeast  of  the  central  portion 
of  the  continent,  quite  up  to  the  foothills  of  the 
elevated  portion  of  the  country.  Among  these 
mountains  has  been  built  the  Great  Temple  ded- 
icated to  OM.,  who  is  the  ONE,  the  All. 

"Our  records  fail  to  give  us  any  information 
of  the  beginning  of  man's  occupancy  here,  and  it 
is  only  through  the  power  of  perception  of  our 
wise  men  that  we  gain  any  idea  of  that  begin- 
ning. It  is  sufficient  to  say,  when  the  Fifth 
Race  men   needed   a   home   for   their   unfolding. 


84  OUR  STORY 

they  found  it  here.  Their  unfolding  has  been 
along  the  lines  of  the  strongest  development.  We 
may  therefore  simply  describe  the  conditions  now- 
existing  as  the  outcome  of  the  thought-forces  of 
the  most  powerful  nation  of  the  known  world. 

"The  fertility  of  our  soil  is  unparalleled  any- 
where upon  the  earth.  Our  difference  of  ele- 
vation above  the  sea  level  gives  variety  to  our 
climate,  and  whatever  grows  otherwhithers  on 
the  globe,  will  grow  here  also,  in  the  greatest 
luxuriance  and  perfection.  We  have  no  need 
to  import  anything  grown  out  of  the  ground 
from  other  nations. 

"Our  supplies  of  minerals  from  the  bosom  of 
the  earth  are  incomparable  in  their  amount  and 
abundance.  We  have  all  metals  found  any- 
where upon  the  surface  of  the  earth.  We  also 
have  one,  of  which  none  has  ever  been  discov- 
ered in  any  other  country.  It  possesses  the  duc- 
tility and  color  of  copper  and  the  strength  of 
iron.     We  have  named  it  Orichalcum. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  85 

"The  fauna  holds  every  species  of  animal, 
which  from  here  has  been  carried  to  all  parts 
of  the  earth,  there  to  find  a  new  habitat  and 
become  of  use  to  the  children  of  men  either  for 
labor  or  pleasure.  This  was  the  center  of  dis- 
tribution. Whatever  knowledge  or  wisdom  on 
this  line  experience  has  given  them,  they  have 
freely  passed  it  on  to  those  who  stood  in  need 
of  it.  In  short,  whatever  mankind  possesses  in 
any  degree  anywhere,  we  also  possess  in  vast 
abundance,  far  beyond  our  needs.  Never  has  any 
State,  Nation  or  Potentate  ever  before  concen- 
trated so  much  of  wealth ;  that  is,  surplus  of  sup- 
plies of  all  kinds,  as  we  hold  to-day. 

"No  word  but  immense,  will  truly  describe  our 
public  works.  No  nation  has  even  dreamed  of  a 
Temple  like  ours,  much  less  built  one.  The  private 
residences  of  our  citizens,  even  of  the  poorer 
sort,  outshine  in  beauty  of  desiajn  and  suitable- 
ness of  material  the  kings  of  many  other  nations. 
Do  not  consider   that   I   am   seeking   to   belittle 


86  OUR  STORY 

others  or  to  extol  ourselves,  but  I  am  stating 
as  fully  and  as  candidly  as  I  can,  that  which  is 
really  the  fact,  as  I  now  write. 

"The  mountains  have  springs  of  hot  and  cold 
water  which  act  as  natural  reservoirs.  From 
them  the  water  is  conveyed  by  stone  pipes  to  the 
public  baths  and  to  the  private  residences  of  such 
citizens  as  choose  to  avail  themselves  of  the  priv- 
ilege under  certain  conditions. 

"In  the  center  of  the  city  are  the  royal  pal- 
aces, and  these  are  protected  by  three  immense 
canals,  which  are  built  entirely  around  them, 
with  two  intervening  zones  of  land.  These  ca- 
nals are  connected  with  the  Great  Sea  by  an- 
other canal  3CX)  feet  wide  and  lOO  feet  deep  and 
six  miles  long  to  connect  with  the  port. 

"The  Great  Temple  is  in  the  northeast  part 
of  the  city.  Its  lofty  tower  bearing  upon  its  top, 
the  finest  observatory  ever  yet  built,  occupies  the 
northeast  quarter  of  the  Temple  grounds.  This 
and  the  Temple  itself  is  protected  from  attack 


OF  ATLANTIS.  87 

on  the  North,  East  and  West  by  the  mountains, 
which  serve  both  as  a  defense  and  a  foundation 
to  hold  up  the  massive  structures  built  upon 
them. 

"From  the  mountains  the  city  of  cities  extends 
in  a  circular  form  southward.  Beyond  the  im- 
mense area  occupied  by  the  city  proper  is  still 
another,  comprising;  upwards  of  75,000  square 
miles,  which  has  been  cultivated  from  time  im- 
memorial, and  is  in  fact  one  vast  garden.  This 
is  liberally  irrigated  from  the  river  and  from  a 
canal  600  feet  in  width  and  lOO  feet  deep,  ex- 
tending through  the  country  i,200  miles.  Not 
only  are  these  waters  used  for  irrigation,  but 
through  a  system  of  locks  at  the  port,  galleys  are 
raised  and  lowered  into  the  grand  canal,  where 
they  both  receive  and  distribute  cargoes  of  all 
kinds  of  products  in  the  interests  of  commerce. 

"It  is  hardly  necessary  to  mention  that  the 
population  of  this  plain  and  the  mountains  is 
many  millions.      Never   will   there  be  so  many 


88  OUR    STORY 

people  gathered  in  the  same  place  at  the  same 
time,  so  say  our  prophets  and  Magi. 

"Nor  must  I  forget  to  say  that  the  volume 
of  our  population  is  increased  by  the  fact  that 
owing  to  the  dominance  of  the  life-giving  power 
of  the  spirit,  which  has  not  been  weakened  yet 
to  any  great  extent  there  are  three  or  four  gen- 
erations of  men  upon  the  earth  at  the  same  time, 
all  strong  and  vigorous.  As  the  necessary  sup- 
plies for  the  maintenance  of  the  body  at  its  best, 
are  in  the  greatest  profusion,  nature  in  no  sense 
retards  the  increase  of  population,  but  would 
support  to  the  utmost  limit  the  most  prolific  in- 
crease possible. 

"During  the  day  the  myriad  sounds  of  voice 
and  action  that  arise  over  the  docks  and  the  quar- 
ters of  the  city  devoted  to  labor  is  like  the  roar 
of  a  tornado  on  the  sea,  hurling  itself  against  the 
embattled  rocks. 

"The  Atlantian  galleys  have  reached  every 
port  and  nation  under  the  whole  broad  heaven. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  89 

They  have  laid  the  entire  surface  of  earth  under 
tribute  to  our  commerce.  We  have  no  need  to 
ask  another  nation  for  anything  we  have  not. 
But  they  seek  from  us  the  fruits  of  our  soil  and 
our  incomparable  bronze  manufactures,  in  whose 
production  our  artizans  have  become  very  expert, 
especially  in  clubs,  axes,  knives  and  swords. 

"The  barbarians  of  the  Eastern  world  have 
never  been  able  to  make  these  things  for  them- 
selves, and  as  the  material  and  tempering  of  our 
artizans  are  very  fine,  we  find  market  for  all  we 
can  possibly  offer.  The  only  article  of  which 
we  fail  in  making  the  supply  equal  to  the  de- 
mand is  a  bright  yellow  metal,  which  offers  a 
powerful  resistance  to  the  action  of  the  elements. 
It  is  eagerly  sought  for  purposes  of  decoration, 
both  of  building  and  persons.  The  total  product 
of  our  own  mines  is  thus  appropriated,  and  our 
traders  have  discovered  that  it  exists  in  other 
parts  of  the  world.  So  they  seek  it  ever)^where, 
and  when  found  offer  our  own  products  in  ex- 


90  OUR    STORY 

change  for  it.  When  they  bring  it  home  they 
are  offered  certain  immunities  and  privileges  in 
addition  to  the  market  value  foj  it.  Thus,  in  a 
way,  It  has  become  a  measure  of  value,  not  only 
with  us,  but  with  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
It  is  predicted  by  our  Magi  that  this  peculiar  con- 
dition, through  the  foul  greed  of  man,  will  grow 
into  a  calamity-  for  the  whole  race.  The  desire 
upon  which  its  gathering  by  us  is  founded  will 
become  irrepressible  and  destructive  in  the  more 
physical  nations  in  the  years  to  come.  As,  how- 
ever, our  nation  has  done  no  intentional  wrong 
and  have  tried  to  deal  justly,  they  can  hardly  be 
considered  responsible  for  any  such  evil.  It  is 
also  true  that  if  evil  does  come  upon  the  race 
we  shall  be  forced  to  meet  it  in  the  long  ages  yet 
to  come,  as  we  are  again  called  to  face  in  new 
bodies  the  lives  allotted  to  us.  Thus  far,  strained 
intensity  for  acquisition  has  not  acquired  force 
enough  to  injure  us  in  our  development  on  any 
line. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  91 

"We  are  not  a  nation  of  flesheasters,  for  the 
warmth  of  our  ch'mate  does  not  compel  the  con- 
centration of  food  sought  in  the  use  of  flesh.  It 
is  because  we  are  not  bound  to  the  soil  in  our 
efforts  to  overcome  the  circle  of  necessity  that 
we  can  give  so  much  time  to  the  study  of  the 
real  forces  and  facts  of  the  universe,  and  the 
methods  by  which  they  could  be  made  useful  to 
themselves. 

"At  the  North  are  three  high  mountain  peaks, 
which  have  become  landmarks  for  all  seafaring 
men.  In  the  way  of  review  of  what  I  have 
written,  permit  me  to  take  my  future  readers  to 
the  highest  summit  of  the  great  peak  Alyhlo,  and 
from  thence  point  out  the  paradise  of  mountain 
and  valley,  hill  and  plain,  interspersed  with  broad 
plateaux.  These  are  covered  with  tropical  vege- 
tation bearing  all  kinds  of  edible  fruits  known  to 
man  throughout  the  whole  circle  of  the  year. 
Limped  streams  from  the  mountain  sides  water 
a  large  portion  of  this  vast  district. 


92  OUR  STORY 

"Nor  is  this  all,  for  the  whole  picture  is  dotted 
thick  with  substantial  dwellings,  hamlets  and 
towns.  But  above  all,  is  the  capital  as  a  center 
of  interest,  and  an  exchange  of  thought,  so  wide, 
so  far-reaching,  that  all  the  other  centers  in  the 
whole  country  seem  but  suburbs. 

"Notice  also  the  varied  greens  of  the  vegeta- 
tion and  the  blue  of  the  sky,  so  clear  and  so  per- 
fect, as  yet  undisturbed  in  its  vibrations  by  the 
shock  of  either  offense  or  defense.  Beyond  these 
can  be  seen  the  canal  leading  to  the  land-locked 
sea  and  the  great  port  with  its  fleets  of  arriving 
and  departing  galleys  from  every  quarter  of  the 
globe.  These  galleys  move  neither  by  sail  nor 
oar,  nor  any  impulsion  of  elemental  force.  Sur- 
mounting all  these  our  Magi  have  imparted  the 
secret  of  etheric  impulse  born  of  thought,  and 
against  this,  wind  nor  tide  have  no  power.  It  is 
the  fairest  land  that  man  in  all  his  generations 
thus  far  has  ever  seen. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


BEFORE  going  forward  with  the  descrip- 
tions of  the  MSS.  let  us  do  a  little 
comparing  with  the  present  situation, 
as  we  now  know  it.  The  location  of  the 
Ancient  Continent  must  have  covered  in 
part  the  Carribean  Archipelago.  If  the  land 
were  so  raised  as  to  m.ake  the  highest  peak  six 
miles  high,  there  must  have  resulted  two  im- 
mense inland  seas  where  now  is  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  Across  these  and  the  old  continent 
would  blow  in  constant  succession  the  trade 
winds,  bringing  moisture  and  fertility  upon  their 
broad  wings,  for  the  teeming  population.  In 
configuration,  there  must  have  been  a  striking 
resemblance  to  our  upper  lake  country. 

The  range  of  mountains  to    the    West    and 


94  OUR  STORY 

North  must  have  constituted  the  backbone  of 
the  Continent,  whose  peaks  and  table  lands  now 
form  a  chain  of  islands.  On  the  line  of  drainage 
from  the  inland  sea  the  Amazon  must  now  be 
located.  The  fertility  must  have  been  the  re- 
sult not  so  much  of  a  torrid  temperature,  as  of 
the  absence  of  cold  winds,  which  gave  a  peculiar, 
equable,  life-developing^climate,  both  for  vege- 
tables and  animals.  Everything  possible  grew, 
because  there  were  no  drawbacks  to  its  growth. 
It  was  always  seedtime;  it  was  always  harvest. 
Bud,  blossom  and  fruit  in  all  their  different  stages 
of  maturity  could  be  seen  growing  at  once  on 
the  same  tree.  What  is  partially  true  to-day 
of  the  orange  and  lemon  was  then  true  of  all 
fruit-bearing  trees.  So  fertile  was  the  original 
condition  of  the  soil,  and  so  great  the  wisdom 
of  those  who  directed,  that  the  matter  of  planting 
seed  and  gathering  harvest  became  a  matter  of 
sequence  and  not  of  season.  With  this  explana* 
tion  let  us  return  to  our  manuscript: 


OF  ATLANTIS.  95 

"The  change  of  condition  from  life  to  death 
is  one  accepted  and  welcomed  by  our  people;  not 
in  any  sense  feared,  because  during  their  long 
continued  existence  the  monotony  of  physical  life 
is  fully  satisfied  and  the  only  inducement  for  ac- 
cepting prolongation  is  the  increasing  of  the  spir- 
it's force  and  potency,  with  which  we  are  well 
acquainted  and  fully  educated  as  to  its  limitless 
possibilities. 

"Our  place  as  carriers  for  the  world,  has  for 
many  years  been  acknowledged.  On  all  seas 
and  in  every  port  are  the  galleys  that  supply  the 
world's  marts,  flying  the  Atlantian  flag — a 
winged  globe  in  blue  on  a  yellow  ground.  It 
therefore  happens  in  our  ample  harbor,  the 
myriad  swarms  of  shipping,  although  loaded  with 
the  products  of  the  whole  earth  are  ours. 

"The  sailors  of  other  nations  dare  not  move 
out  into  the  vast  wastes  of  waters,  separating 
the  different  countries  one  from  another. 

"Great  warehouses  lie  along  the  water's  edge, 


96  OUR  STORY 

which  is  bordered  from  the  sea,  for  many  miles 
into  the  interior,  by  immense,  solidly-built  walls. 
These  are  raised  high  enough  to  be  above  any 
high-water  mark  of  either  flood  from  the  interior 
or  tide  from  the  ocean.  But  floods  were  rather 
the  result  of  changes  in  the  amount  of  drainage, 
for  the  melting  of  snow  on  the  mountains  or  in- 
crease of  amount  from  suddenly  precipitated 
vapor,  was  a  thing  of  but  slight  importance. 

"The  capital  is  connected  with  all  parts  of  the 
kingdom  by  iron  tramways,  upon  which  enormous 
loads  are  moved  by  a  motive  force,  whose  secret 
only  our  Magi  know.  But  the  obedient  force 
moves  back  and  forth,  drawing  and  pushing,  as 
it  is  bidden  by  its  controller,  the  heavily  ladden 
wagons,  to  which  it  is  harnessed. 

"The  whole  city  is  built  of  a  pure  white 
marble,  taken  from  quarrries  in  the  Northern 
Hills,  whose  supplies  are  used  not  only  for  build- 
ing at  home,  but  also  for  export.  So  fine  is  the 
grain  and  so  elegant  the  polish  that  the  blocks 


OF  ATLANTIS.  97 

are  used  over  and  over  in  rebuilding  in  the  cities 
of  the  Mediterranean.  This  stone  cannot  en- 
dure the  extremes  of  temperature  of  the  North- 
ern climate,  but  is  amply  strong  for  all  that  may 
be  demanded  under  an  Atlantian  sky. 

"From  what  I  have  already  said,  perhaps  it 
will  be  plain,  the  city  is  laid  out  like  a  disc,  vi'ith 
a  segment  wanting,  where  it  is  fitted  against  the 
foothills  of  the  Northern  mountain  ranges. 

"Broad  avenues  in  semi-circle  begin  at  the 
mountains  and  end  in  the  mountains.  These  are 
crossed  at  regular  intervals  by  other  avenues, 
forming  the  radii  of  the  circle,  the  center  of 
which  is  the  King's  palace.  There  is  no  owner- 
ship of  land,  save  in  the  King's  name  as  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  nation.  It  is  held  by  our  Magi, 
that  no  man  can  own  anything  in  which  his  own 
labor,  or  some  representative  thereof,  does  not 
constitute  a  component  part.  All  articles  of 
handiwork  therefore  can  be  claimed  by  the  con- 
tributors thereto,  but  man  has  not,  and  can  never 


98  OUR  STORY 

attain,  ownership  in  the  four  great  elements  of 
manifestation — fire,  air,  water,  earth.  If  he  ever 
shall  attempt  it,  disaster  and  degradation  will  at- 
tend the  attempt.  If  a  man  builds  a  house  or 
plants  a  tree,  or  cultives  a  crop,  then  the  house 
or  tree  or  harvest  belong  to  him,  and  he  should 
be  protected  in  his  right  to  enjoy  fully,  all  that 
can  come  from  his  labor. 

"All  lands  are  parceled  out  by  lot,  and  the 
improvements  only,  have  a  price.  He  who  would 
like  his  neighbor's  location  must,  with  his  neigh- 
bor's consent,  buy  the  improvements,  but  the  land 
has  no  more  value  than  the  air  about  it. 

"The  houses  are  built  for  convenience  and 
comfort.  Every  family  owns  its  own  home,  and 
when  a  young  man  takes  to  himself  a  wife,  he  has 
a  portion  of  land  assigned  him,  under  conditions 
which  make  equable  all  inequalities  of  place, 
quality  or  surroundings.  No  crowding  is  al- 
lowed, not  even  in  the  thickest  part  of  the  city. 
The  buildings  are  of  permanent  material,  fash- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  99 

ioned  to  let  in  the  air  and  light.  The  underlying 
principle  is  a  central  open  court,  with  the  living 
rooms  all  about  it.  This  plan  is  modified  in 
many  ways  to  suit  the  individualities  and  needs 
of  the  owners. 

"The  court  is  entered  by  a  broad  gate,  swing- 
ing easily  on  its  ample  fittings.  In  the  center 
a  pool  with  an  overflowing  fountain  to  prevent 
stagnation,  cools  the  air  and  helps  modify  the  vi- 
brations. The  water  was  supplied  by  an  acque- 
duct  from  the  mountains.  This  was  so  old  that 
no  Atlantian  of  the  present  people  can  give  its 
age.  But  there  are  records  in  the  archives  of 
the  Temple  concerning  the  planning  of  the  huge 
undertaking  and  the  manner  of  its  accomplish- 
ment. About  this  pool  the  building  stands,  gen- 
erally two  stories,  so  supported  on  pillars,  as  to 
form  no  obstruction  to  free  movement  of  the  air. 

"When  the  young  couple  decide  to  locate  it  is 
the  custom  to  receive  from  the  chief  astrologer  of 
the  Temple  a   horoscope   definitely   naming  the 


100  OUR  STORY 

number  of  the  new  family  to  come.  For  each 
one  a  room  was  built  in  the  home.  This  special 
allotment  prevents  crowding,  and  is  productive 
to  the  utmost,  of  progress  and  growth  on  all 
lines. 

"Animals  herd,  man  individualizes  in  his  tend- 
ency. At  either  end  of  the  scale,  acceptation  of, 
or  rebellion  against  the  herding,  indicates  where 
he  stands  at  any  given  time,  as  regards  either  his 
spiritual  or  his  physical  nature.  If  he  is  inclined 
to  be  brutish  it  matters  not  if  fifty  hands  eating 
with  his,  dip  into  the  same  bowl  of  porridge.  If 
he  is  spiritually  unfolded  he  would  prefer  to  ap- 
propriate and  use,  in  his  own  way,  that  which 
comes  belonging  to  and  prepared  especially  for 
himself.  This  is  not,  as  it  might  at  the  outset 
appear,  selfishness,  but  is  the  outcropping  of  the 
work  which  the  Ego  takes  upon  itself  during 
the  earth  lives,  the  soul-building  out  of  the  in- 
carnations. 

"The  rooms  on  the  first  story  are  larger  and 


OF  ATLANTIS.  loi 

mostly  used  for  the  offices  of  living,  in  which  the 
family  relations  are  concerned  and  perfected. 
Most  of  their  leisure  time  is  spent  about  the 
fountain  in  the  court,  where  there  are  always 
agreeable  shadows,  with  the  blue  sky  above.  The 
courts  are  paved  in  colored  patterns  with  a  kind 
of  glass,  and  carpeted  with  rugs  and  mats  woven 
from  vegetable  textiles  and  fancifully  dyed. 
These  goods  are  made  principally  for  export.  Be- 
sides these  furnishings,  there  are  side  by  side, 
products  of  man's  thought  from  every  part  of  the 
earth,  the  richest  and  the  best.  None  are  blood- 
stained as  the  spoils  of  war,  for  our  traffic,  in- 
dustrious and  honorable  has  made  us  beyond  per- 
adventure  the  richest  nation  that  ever  existed 
upon  the  earth. 

"From  the  first,  we  have  traded  everywhere. 
No  galley  of  ours  has  ever  been  seized  by  the 
god  of  the  seas  and  left  lying  upon  the  ocean 
bottom  whether  bearing  our  goods  forth  or 
bringing  back   to   us   the   merchandize   of  other 


102  OUR  STORY 

lands.  This  natural  increase  by  labor  and  by 
trade,  without  loss,  should  of  itself  have  been 
sufficient  to  have  enriched  us  without  other 
means 

"Thus  it  is  perceived  the  families  are  by  them- 
selves, each  is  an  independent  community. 
Their  houses  and  gardens  are  as  much  the  king- 
dom of  that  community  as  can  possibly  be  con- 
ceived. This  is  the  rule  of  the  spiritual  and  not 
of  the  physical. 

"But  I  must  not  forget  to  speak  of  the  streets 
and  roads  of  the  city  proper  and  the  outlying 
country.  These  are  laid  out  on  a  certain  gen- 
eral plan,  which  once  established  has  never  been 
changed.  Although  they  have  been  many  years 
in  construction  and  extension,  every  foot  has 
been  added  under  the  direction  of  a  master  mind 
in  conformity  to  a  uniform  plan  adopted  thou- 
sands of  years  ago.  So  far  as  they  are  extended 
they  are  finished  and  lasting.  The  substance 
used  for  the  road  beds  is  our  secret,  of  the  whole 


OF  ATLANTIS.  103 

world.  Our  waj's  are  dustless  and  noiseless. 
The  peculiar  composition  readily  yields  traction 
to  bodies  moving  over  them.  Never  has  there 
been  so  perfect  a  system  of  easy  transportation 
upon  the  earth. 

"The  public  buildings  are  always  large,  roomy 
and  of  varied  styles,  surmounted  with  domes, 
pinnacles  and  minnarets  and  ornamented  with 
statutes  of  artistic  design  and  workmanship.  The 
material  of  which  these  are  built  is  white  marble. 
Atlantis  can  well  claim  not  only  the  honor  of 
being  so  created,  but  of  remaining  a  white  city. 
There  is  no  darkening  effluvium  in  the  air  nor 
the  climate  to  obscure  the  white  walls  set  in  the 
great  billows  of  surrounding  green.  Our  Magi 
say,  that  in  days  to  come,  a  nation  on  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea  called  the  Greeks,  will  personify 
in  their  works  of  art,  our  beloved  city  as  a  beau- 
tiful woman  rising  from  the  sea. 

"The  more  important  of  these  buildings  are 
profusely  decorated  with  gold,  and  it  is  for  this 


104  OUR    STORY 

purpose  that  metal  is  so  eagerly  bought  by  the 
Atlantian  traders,  a  poetical  name — 'the  tears  of 
the  sun,'  has  been  adopted  by  our  people,  and  by 
this  it  is  most  widely  called  here.  Of  the  palace 
of  the  King;  of  the  Great  Temple,  I  will  speak 
more  at  length  by  and  by. 

"In  these  public  buildings  are  rooms  for  so- 
cial meetings,  to  discuss  public  topics  and  for  the 
convenience  of  classes  studying  things  that  do  not 
belong  to  the  physical  plane.  A  description  of 
one  will  be  a  description  of  the  general  plan 
of  all.  They  are  elliptical  in  form,  with  a  foun- 
tain in  the  center.  The  Atlantians  are  extrava- 
gantly fond  of  the  presence  of  water.  At  one 
of  the  foci  are  a  number  of  seats,  arranged  like 
an  amphitheater,  built  of  stone  and  rising  one 
above  another.  At  the  other  of  the  foci  stands 
a  Tribune,  upon  which  the  speaker  stands  when 
public  addresses  are  made.  About  the  fountain 
also  are  seats,  where  the  auditors  sit  easily  and 
converse  one  with  another. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  105 

"In  like  manner  are  built  the  training  schools 
of  the  young;  the  central  part  of  the  structure 
being  open  to  the  sunlight  and  the  air.  Here 
the  young  Atlantians  are  educated  in  the  things 
that  belong  to  the  nation,  the  family  and  to 
themselves.  Our  fathers  had  a  saying  we  seek 
to  make  a  rule  of  living:  'Eight  years  to  infancy 
and  play,  eight  years  to  boyhood  and  training  in 
physical  things,  eight  years  to  young  manhood 
and  learning  of  the  world  outside  of  Atlantis, 
and  one  thousand  years  to  learning  of  the  in- 
visible and  real.'  Its  proportions  are  very  near- 
ly correct. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  Atlantians  of  either  sex  are  almost 
perfect  in  their  physical  organizations. 
They  are  nearly  all  equally  trained  by 
the  master  of  wisdom.  It  may  be  asked  why  they 
are  not  all  on  the  same  plane  of  development. 
The  reply  is  the  conclusive  answer  of  all  ages 
and  times.  Man  never  has  and  never  will  ex- 
ercise his  individual  potency  in  exactly  the  same 
way.  The  little  variation,  hardly  perceptible  at 
first,  is  increased  by  every  increment,  no  matter 
how  small,  of  each  of  the  succeeding  lives.  This 
difference  Is  increased  also  by  the  force  of  intel- 
lectual power  which  comes  to  a  nation  and  of 
necessity  to  the  individuals  of  the  nation,  who 
will  seek  to  occupy  the  best  bodies  and  positions, 
as  the  returning  egos  claim  place  in  the  lives. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  107 

"Because  of  the  absolute  equality  of  the  sexes 
the  bodies  of  the  women  are  just  as  strong  and 
vigorous  as  those  of  the  men.  But  we  know 
that  in  other  nations,  with  which  we  have  come 
in  contact,  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  the 
women  are  inferior  in  size  and  strength.  This 
happens  because  the  people  of  those  nations  have 
allowed  themselves  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion, and  from  age  to  age,  to  believe  in  and  as- 
sert the  inferioritj'  of  women.  This  continued 
thought  has  belittled  and  dwarfed  her,  not  only 
in  body,  but  has  also  bound  her  aspirations  and 
her  mental  capacity  with  bonds  stronger  than 
steel.  While  the  barbarian  races,  to  their  sor- 
row and  loss,  have  made  this  sad  mistake,  the 
Atlantian  nation,  on  the  other  hand,  have  con- 
stantly held  to  the  equality  of  the  ^exes.  The 
result  now  is,  physically,  both  sexes  are  models 
which  painter  or  sculptor  are  proud  and  eager 
to  copy.  Each  one  is  a  specimen  of  beauty,  for 
perfection  is  beauty.     The  action  of  the  climate 


io8  OUR  STORY 

and  transmitted  principles  have  brought  intel- 
lectual vigor  and  daring  with  a  marvelous  grasp 
of  perception  upon  the  laws  of  nature  and  of 
themselves.  Their  bodies,  instead  of  being  im- 
pediments to  spiritual  growth  and  advancement, 
are  helps  indeed  to  the  spirits  who  seek  through 
them  experience,  knowledge  and  understanding. 
Those  who  might  be  called  the  common  class, 
doing  the  necessary  labor  of  the  nation,  are  far 
advanced  beyond  the  literary  class  of  the  bar- 
barian nations  in  their  perception  of  the  truth 
and  their  knowledge  of  nature's  laws.  The  day 
will  come  in  the  future  when  men  will  mourn 
this  knowledge  forgotten,  when  the  fatigue  and 
monotony  of  burden  bearing  will  be  almost  over- 
whelming in  its  crushing  awfulness. 

"We  have  schools  for  the  development  of  the 
physical  and  for  the  directing  of  the  mental  habits 
of  thought.  In  these  schools  very  little  mem- 
orized knowledge  is  imparted.  The  design  is 
to  so  train  the  faculties  that  if  desired  or  needed 


OF  ATLANTIS.  109 

the  cipher  of  the  Astral  books  could  easily  be 
read. 

"Sickness  is  unknown.  We  have  no  lame, 
halt,  blind,  deaf  nor  dumb,  nor  beggars  as 
models  for  maternal  pre-natal  mind,  to  misform 
embryos,  and  thus  build  monstrosities  for  the 
public  charge.  This  of  which  I  speak  is  true 
of  the  nations  who  are  busy  in  the  affairs  of  com- 
merce, of  agriculture,  or  who  are  builders 
and  decorators  of  houses  and  public  buildings. 
But  there  are  some  who  from  natural  impulsion 
have  sought  more  and  more  of  the  invisible,  of  the 
truths  which  belong  to  the  ONE,  and  those  who 
rest  in  IT.  These  are  willing  and  anxious  to 
devote  themselves  and  their  powers  constantly  to 
obtaining  and  attaining,  and  the  teaching  of 
youth.  The  only  class  distinction  we  have  is 
founded  upon  knowledge. 

"It  has  come  to  pass  in  a  natural  fashion  that 
these  thinkers  have  gravitated  toward  one  an- 
other ;  that  they  have  kept  records  of  observation, 


no  OUR  STORY 

experiment  and  experience;  that  they  are  wiser 
in  speech;  in  mathematics  as  applied  to  the  un- 
seen; in  alchemy,  in  astrology,  and  they  are 
specially  wise  in  the  physics  which  embrace  the 
laws  of  the  unseen.  At  first  buildings  were  set 
apart  for  these  students  and  their  teachers.  As  the 
city  grew  each  body  of  students  had  its  build- 
ing, now  known  as  temples.  Later,  all  were 
gathered  into  the  one  great  Temple,  in  order 
that  the  symbolism  of  the  ONE  who  is  ALL 
might  be  perfect. 

"In  the  teachings  of  our  Magi,  all  manifesta- 
tion, on  all  planes,  is  referred  back  to  the  ONE, 
as  the  single  central  source  of  strength  and  power 
for  everything  obtained  and  obtainable.  Thus 
the  mind  dwelling  on  this  thought  has  striven 
in  design,  in  material,  in  finishing  and  furnish- 
ing to  make  the  Great  Temple  a  perfected  sym- 
bol of  the  ONE.  Its  worship  in  all  its  imagery 
and  suggestion  combines  every  element  for  the 
impressiveness  of  mode  and   subject,   under  dis- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  in 

cussion  upon  the  minds  of  the  student.  Is  it 
any  wonder  that  there  has  come  to  us  as  a  na- 
tion a  deep-seated  veneration  for  the  Omnipotent 
name  and  laws. 

"It  is  also  a  fact  that  our  Magi  are  in  posses- 
sion of  most  wonderful  powers,  in  the  control  of 
elemental  forces  who  obey  their  will,  coming  to 
their  tasks,  not  under  confinement,  but  because 
obedient  to  the  will  and  behest  of  those  who  call 
singly  or  unitedly  for  their  services.  It  is  also 
known  that  this  power  never  will  be  held  except 
by  Atlantian  born  people,  regardless  of  the  chang- 
ing conditions  of  the  globe. 

"It  is  also  true  that  a  far  greater  proportion 
of  our  people  have  attained  to  the  superior  light 
and  knowledge  than  any  other  nation  upon  the 
earth  either  in  the  past  or  present.  This  is  doubt- 
less due  to  the  fact  that  our  incarnating  egos, 
having  the  right  of  choice,  have  again  and  again 
sought  their  own  people  as  the  most  privileged 
spot  in  which  to  make  advancement  during  the 


112  OUR  STORY 

lives. 

"When  these  advanced  egoes  have  found  their 
bodies  we  have  the  spectacle  of  children  born  old, 
for  the  brightness  of  the  last  life  is  heavy  on 
them,  and  the  newness  of  the  body  does  not  al- 
ways act  as  a  defense  or  shield  from  its  imperi- 
ous blaze.  It  is  not  in  each,  but  is  a  matter  of 
ordinary,  detailed  development. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


WE  have  but  one  basic  law  throughout 
called  the  'golden  rule,*  or  preference 
the  whole  country  and  city.  It  is 
of  another  before  self.  We  have  no  evils  aris- 
ing out  of  the  action  of  selfishness,  for  this  con- 
dition is  the  primary  result  of  the  fear  of  desti- 
tution, either  for  ourselves  or  others,  sometime 
during  the  position  or  period  of  earth-life.  Even 
they  who  are  the  least  advanced  understand  from 
our  teaching  the  true  idea  of  Brotherhood ;  that 
no  man,  no  man's  wife,  no  man's  children,  can, 
under  the  law,  suffer  from  deprivation  of  the 
necessities  of  physical  life.  He  who  has  more 
than  enough  is  held  to  be  always  the  steward  in 
trust  for  him  who  temporarily  has  less  than 
enough.     But  this  does  not  relieve  from  the  ne- 


114  OUR  STORY 

cessity  for  labor,  of  every  individual  in  the  direct 
ratio  of  their  ability,  at  whatever  employment 
they  are  best  fitted. 

"In  the  building  of  our  houses,  the  quarrying 
of  the  stones,  the  transportation  and  the  fitting 
is  all  done  by  elemental  force,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  a  master,  who  is  in  charge  of  a  section. 
It  is  his  duty  to  educate  them  and  to  see  that  they 
are  duly  provided  for,  out  of  the  Astral  store- 
house, by  the  power  given  into  his  hands.  The 
form  of  government  has  already  been  copied 
from  us  by  a  powerful  nation  in  the  Northern 
part  of  Asia,  but  because  of  their*  situation  on 
the  physical  plane,  it  is  most  likely  they  will  be 
able  to  retain  only  the  form,  and  will  lose  the 
spiritual  power  which  is  the  foundation  and  po- 
tent principle. 

The  whole  nation  is  linked  together  by  the 
master  of  the  families,  these  are  in  groups  and 
classes,  under  instruction  and  direction  from 
those  who  are  most  competent  to  teach.     These 


OF  ATLANTIS.  115 

teachers  are  grouped  under  the  masters  or  Magi 
of  the  Temple.  These  Magi  of  the  Temple 
are  under  the  instruction  of  the  Most  Ancient, 
the  Seven,  the  Five  and  the  Three.  So,  in  the 
hands  of  the  Three,  mightiest  of  all  human  in- 
tellects, rests  the  destinies,  the  prosperity  and  the 
happiness  of  the  whole  nation.  Moreover,  upon 
them  as  directors  and  arbiters,  the  responsibility 
of  Karmic  conditions  rested,  as  they  were  en- 
gendered by  the  currents  of  potency  issuing  from 
themselves  and  returning  upon  their  cycle  bore 
with  thenij  whatever  had  been  impressed  upon, 
or  mingled  with  them  during  their  revolvment 
among  those  to  whom  the  currents  were  sent. 

"It  must  be  apparent,  to  whom  this  MSS.  may 
come,  that  the  power  of  the  Unseen,  and  their 
application  to  man's  earth-life  are  matters  of  the 
greatest  interest  and  importance  to  the  Atlan- 
tians.  There  is  no  temporal  po\Aer,  save  as  a 
symbol  of  the  Manifested.  Everything  pertain- 
ing to  organized   effort  originates  with,   and   is 


ii6  OUR  STORY 

carried  forward  by  the  Priesthood  of  the  Great 
Temple,  which  represents  the  dominant  power 
over  matter  of  the  spirit  at  its  highest  and  best. 
They  have  specially  in  charge  the  study  and  de- 
velopment of  all  occult  knowledge. 

"Every  house  is  independent  of  itself.  The 
Atlantians  are  Monogamists — the  one  husband 
of  one  wife.  This,  experience  has  demonstrated 
to  be  the  best  condition  for  the  development  of 
a  strong,  spiritual  race.  We  have  seen  that 
polygamist  races  always  decrease  in  power, 
strength  and  energy  of  purpose. 

"In  Atlantis,  to  be  diseased  or  crippled  in 
body,  or  to  be  at  the  head  of  a  family,  in  which 
is  such  a  member,  is  deemed  a  crime  against  the 
people.  Therefore  all  thought,  all  desire  and 
interest  are  brought  to  bear  upon  physical  con- 
ditions, through  occult  and  spiritual  forces,  not 
only  to  make  the  nation  whole,  but  whole  in 
the  highest  and  best  sense. 

"Those   who    are    particularly    gifted    with 


OF  ATLANTIS.  117 

psychic  qualities  or  whose  spirits  have  attained 
famih'arity  with  the  instrument  intrusted  to  their 
hands  are  trained  for  the  offices  of  Masters  or 
Guides.  These  may  or  may  not  have  families, 
but  in  either  case,  they  are  persons  to  whom  a 
certain  number  of  persons  or  families  look  for 
council,  advice  and  guidance. 

"For  thousands  of  years  have  the  Magi  of  the 
Temple,  who  give  their  whole  time  to  the  study 
of  the  Unseen,  and  lay  aside  their  bodies  at  their 
own  volition,  really  placed  the  welfare  and  best 
good  of  the  people  beyond  any  other  consider- 
ation whatever.  The  nation  is  happy.  They 
have  no  poor.  They  have  no  inferior  class.  All 
necessary  labor  is  honorable.  Generation  after 
generation,  we  have  been  growing  stronger  and 
more  like  the  gods  come  down  to  earth.  We 
have  perfect  communication  with  the  outside 
world  and  each  other.  We  know  Atlantis  is 
the  fairest  city  on  this  planet,  and  we  are  con- 
tent. 


CHAPTER  X. 


HAVING  thus  far  advanced  in  the  descrip 
tion   of   the  most  wonderful   city    ever 
known  to  man,  permit  me  to  quote  from 
the  words  of  one  who  saw  what  he  so  fluently 
and  graphically  describes  for  you : 

"To  the  Northeast  of  this  island  Continent  is 
located  the  Great  Temple,  built  both  for  use  and 
svTnbolism.  On  a  plateau  of  many  acres  in  ex- 
tent, where  the  gradually  rising  ground  began 
to  break  into  the  foothills,  the  whole  surface  had 
been  leveled  and  paved  with  some  soft  material, 
of  which  the  Atlantians  alone  knew  the  secret. 
This  hardened  under  the  action  of  the  sun  and 
atmosphere,  until  it  was  like  adamant.  To  the 
East,  a  belt  of  country  reaching  to  the  seacoast, 
but    not    on    a    level    with    it,    had    also    been 


OF  ATLANTIS.  119 

smoothed  and  paved,  so  that  there  was  no  ob- 
struction to  the  eye,  until  it  rested  on  the  far-off 
horizon. 

"Upon  this  broad  expanse  of  level  space,  close 
enough  to  the  mountains  to  be  buttressed  by  their 
mighty  arms,  stood  the  great,  white-walled  Tem- 
ple, facing  the  South,  and  the  ample  areas  for 
assemblage.  The  closed  courts  and  offices,  and 
the  cloisters  of  the  Temple  faced  the  mountains 
of  the  North,  and  thus  secured  for  the  Temple 
Dwellers  the  privacy  needed  for  the  Masters 
and  student  Brotherhoods  of  the  Temple,  who 
were  seeking  to  know  out  of  the  Silence. 

"The  Temple  proper  consists  of  two  stories, 
the  first  one  consisting  of  pillars  springing  from 
the  rocky  foundations  of  the  mountain  and  sup- 
porting arches,  which  in  turn,  held  up  immense 
slabs  of  stone,  the  floors  of  the  second  story.  On 
the  first  floor  there  is  little  or  no  inclosure,  but 
within  the  walls  of  the  second  story  it  is  all  ar- 
ranged for  privacy  and  quiet  thought.     He  who 


120  OVR   STORY 

looks  over  the  battlements  of  the  upper  story, 
looks  down  about  ninety  feet,  into  the  beautifully 
paved  court  below.  On  the  East  and  West  of 
the  Temple  itself,  are  gardens,  groves  of  trees, 
fountains,  running  streams  of  water,  domesticated 
animals,  and  flowers  of  every  hue  and  fragrance. 
These  are  sacred  to  the  Temple,  but  open  to  the 
people  under  the  surveillance  of  the  caretakers, 
except  certain  reserved  spots  close  to  the  Temple, 
which  are  for  the  special  use  of  the  students  and 
teachers.  In  the  northeast  section  of  the  Tem- 
ple building  was  the  great  tower  and  observa- 
tory, fifty  feet  in  diameter,  rising  210  feet,  a 
landmark  and  light  extending  hundreds  of  miles 
and  ever  a  joy-inspirer  for  the  sea-tossed  marin- 
ers of  the  State. 

"Looking  from  the  plaza  in  front,  toward  the 
interior  of  the  Temple,  its  vast  recesses,  its  for- 
ests of  white  pillars  and  its  high-lifted  over-arch- 
ing roof  fills  the  spectator  with  awe.  Nor  was 
this  feeling  lessened  by  the  cleanliness,  the  con- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  lit 

tinuous  shifting  of  huge  masses  of  sunlight  and 
shadow,  ever  into  new  and  indescribable  gro- 
tesquerie.  During  the  services  the  awful  sol- 
emnity evoked  was  of  a  character  that  modified 
the  whole  Atlantian  thought  and  national  pur- 
pose. 

"The  great  tower  was  commenced  fifteen  feet 
below  the  surface.  The  original  trap  rock  was 
supplemented  by  a  square  block  of  concrete  rock, 
and  upon  this  was  carried  up  the  superstructure 
to  a  total  height  of  225  feet,  the  square  of  fif- 
teen. Upon  the  floor  of  the  Temple  resting  on 
a  raised  dais  was  the  secret  chamber  of  the  Holy 
of  Holies.  Across  and  through  this,  at  High 
Festivals,  blazed  and  flashed  the  Veil  of  Isis. 
Above,  on  a  level  with  the  upper  floor,  was  the 
chamber  of  the  Forty-five,  and  still  above  that 
the  chambers  of  the  Fifteen,  the  Seven,  the  Five 
and  the  Three.  In  the  outer,  the  Tower  was 
smooth  and  unpenetrated  on  its  surface  from  bot- 
tom to  top.     It  resembled  a  solid  block,  chiseled 


122  OUR    STORY 

out  of  quarries  and  set  on  end,  so  deft  was  the 
workmanship  and  so  perfect  the  jointings  and 
finish, 

"In  the  cloisters  an^  rooms  of  the  second 
story  of  the  Temple  were  the  apartments  for 
private  study  and  class  instruction.  There  were 
also  supplemental  apartments,  hollowed  out  of 
the  neighboring  mountains  and  reached  by  secret 
passages  so  arranged  that  whatever  should  be  de- 
posited in  them  as  treasuries  would  be  securely 
held,  even  if  buried  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
sea  for  ages. 

"Beyond  the  great  plaza,  toward  the  city, 
trees  and  fountains  shaded  and  beautified  clear 
up  to  the  naked  edge  of  the  vast  pavement." 

This  is  a  faint  portraj^al  of  that  which  was 
really  the  culmination  and  concentration  of  the 
Nation's  thousands  of  years  of  existence  and  un- 
folding. 

"In  all  our  Temples,  and  more  especially  in  the 
Great  Temple,  the  outer  courts  were  but  the  sim- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  123 

pie  separation  from  those  who  have  no  inspira- 
tion for  the  inner  and  higher.  In  the  outermost 
court,  or  court  of  the  people,  were  always  gath- 
ered those  who  had  tlioughts  of  their  own,  and 
who  were  undecided  as  to  what  direction  they 
should  take  in  pursuit  of  the  light' slowly  dawn- 
ing upon  them. 

"The  inner  court  of  the  people  contained 
those  who  have  so  far  -perceived,  that  they  are 
willing  to  obligate  themselves  to  carry  out  cer- 
tain purposes,  of  whose  full  intent  they  can  know 
but  little,  except  that  the  farther  end  is  lost  in 
the  light  of  life,  and  the  halo  of  obligation.  In 
this  court  they  who  seek  must  be  fitted  by  train- 
ing and  preparation  for  that  which  lies  before 
them,  so  it  is  natural  tliat  they  who  linger  there, 
striving  to  advance,  must  do  whatever  they  can 
through  their  own  power  of  assimilation,  by 
themselves. 

"At  the  first,  if  the  lesson  is  concentration,  it 
is  their  individual  concentration.     If  the  lesson 


124  OUR  STORY 

is  passivity,  it  is  their  own  individual  passivity. 
It  is  exactly  as  when  one  is  learning  to  sing,  as  a 
beginning,  the  voice  is  trained  to  use  its  own  pe- 
culiar function  alone.  After  this  solitary  prac- 
tice, when  some  aptitude  has  been  attained  and 
a  facility  of  use,  then  they  are  ready  for  the 
massing  of  singles  for  a  united  effort.  It  must 
follow  then,  that  tlie  outer  court  of  the  Broth- 
erhood cannot  but  lap  over  into  the  inner  court 
of  the  Temple. 

"That  which  is  done  singly  and  alone,  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  for  the  next  step  in  advance, 
which  is  to  be  made  in  unison  with  another  or 
others,  in  the  same  way  as  musical  students  are 
trained  by  twos  and  fours  for  united  efforts  of 
action  and  harmony. 

"The  question  considered  in  all  this  is,  how 
shall  growth  and  attainment  be  best  accom- 
plished?   What  is  the  basic  principle? 

"In  music  we  say  the  sounds  are  set  to  a  cer- 
tain key,  and  however  prolonged  the  action  of  the 


OF  ATLANTIS.  125 

vibrations,  the  key  and  time  will  be  the  same,  and 
all  the  vibrations  are  aligned.  It  is  exactly  thus, 
when  the  students  come  to  act  together  on  the 
occult  planes,  the  vibrations  which  they  produce 
will  not,  of  course,  be  alike,  but  they  must  chord ; 
the  parts  of  one  vibration  fitting  and  filling  in 
with  the  vibrations  of  another,  so  there  shall  be 
no  jangle. 

"To  get  the  best  results  it  is  always  best  that 
they  who  are  in  the  outer  court  of  the  Brother- 
hood should  be  watchful  and  careful  lest  the  vi- 
brations sent  forth  from  themselves  should  be 
hastened  or  intensified  or  even  drag  through  the 
thoughtlessness  of  their  own  carelessness. 

"When  once  unity  of  action  is  attempted  in 
this  matter,  it  is  absohitely  necessary  to  success, 
that  the  key  on  which  they  start  should  remain 
the  same. 

"It  is  easy  to  sec  how  intense  passions,  such 
as  anger,  or  any  of  the  disturbing  conditions 
woidd  interfere  with  the  vibrations.     It  would  be 


126  OUR  STORY 

like  a  chord  out  of  tune  in  a  stringed  instru- 
ment, where,  though  the  strings  do  not  give  out 
the  same  sounds,  still  they  must  be  in  alignment. 
This  alignment  is  the  source  of  all  music. 

"It  is  not  needful  that  the  most  intense  feel- 
ings of  one's  nature  should  be  given  rein,  and  al- 
lowed to  make  disturbance,  both  for  himself  and 
those  whom  he  is  contracting.  It  is  also,  on  a 
small  scale,  like  the  sharping  and  flatting  at  the 
wrong  points,  whereby  the  vibrations  are 
changed,  the  harmony  broken  and  discord  be- 
comes perceptible. 

"It  is  also  absolutely  necessary  that  all  condi- 
tions in  the  outer  which  can  cause  a  disturbance 
should  be  held  in  abeyance,  when  one  desires  to 
concentrate,  in  order  that  during  a  united  effort 
for  concentration  the  harmony  and  strength  shall 
not  be  marred.  This  is  true  of  all  work  on  any 
occult  line. 

"It  is  not  to  be  supposed  when  two  or  more 
of  the   Brothers  are  concentrating,   exactly     the 


OF  ATLANTIS.  127 

same  process  is  gone  through  within  the  mind 
of  each.  That  would  be  impossible.  The  end 
sought  for  can  be  attained  by  each  working  in 
his  own  way,  with  the  same  thought.  It  does 
not  follow  because  A  does  not  perform  his  task 
exactly  as  B  does,  that  B  should  set  up  a  dis- 
turbance in  the  vibration  as  reflected  from  A, 
thus  in  a  measure  destroying  the  co-operation 
and  effect  to  be  produced. 

"The  law  of  the  Temple  then,  is  first,  alone; 
second,  in  company  with  those  who  are  seeking 
by  united  force  to  accomplish,  as  the  Masters  of 
Destiny,  at  all  times,  have  been  able  to  accom- 
plish. Unity  of  action  is  most  important,  there- 
fore we  must  guard  against  anything  that  can  dis- 
turb this  unity.  If  vibrations,  in  their  normal 
conditions  lay  along  side  by  side,  and  one  is  hast- 
ened, then  the  harmony  is  destroyed  and  the  ac- 
tion of  the  impulse  is  to  increase  the  vibrations 
in  the  length  of  their  wave  force.  We  must, 
when  meeting  for  united  effort,  insist  that  each 


128  OUR  STORY 

for  themselves,  shall  become  their  own  guardi- 
ans. Knowing  that  disagreeable  things  will  oc- 
cur, we  must  be  ever  prepared,  at  once,  to  put 
them  aside.  Having  done  this  once,  we  shall  be 
stronger  to  continue.  Thus  the  music  from  our 
soul's  action  will  not  only  affect  ourselves,  but 
those  about  us. 

"Upon  this  statement  of  principles  has  been 
built  the  great  law  of  the  Temple:  'Do  unto 
others  as  you  would  have  them  do  unto  you.' 
All  the  teaching  and  training,  all  the  ceremonies 
and  symbolism  of  the  Temple  are  founded  upon 
this  law  as  the  corner-stone  of  the  religion  of  our 
people.  Having  given  this  brief  summary  of  the 
truths,  our  priesthood  have  in  charge,  let  us  pass 
on  to  a  description  of  some  of  the  ceremonies 
of  the  Temple  service,  and,  as  an  illustration,  we 
will  take  the  Great  Feast  of  the  New  Year,  as 
more  fully  including  the  whole,  than  any  other. 

"The  feast  of  the  New  Year,  on  the  21st  of 
March,  consummated    and    commemorated     the 


OF  ATLANTIS.  129 

Sun's  re-birth,  when,  out  of  equal  days  and 
nights  a  new  Spring  and  Summer  began  for  the 
northern  hemisphere,  and  the  promise  of  seed- 
time and  harvest  was  renewed. 

"At  this  celebration  it  is  expected  that  every 
family  in  the  kingdom  should  be  present,  either 
personally  or  represented  by  some  member  of  the 
family.  All  the  going  and  coming  of  the  year  is 
planned  with  this  in  view.  It  is  considered  a 
privilege  for  all  the  outlying  population  to  be 
made  welcome  in  the  capital  at  this  time.  The 
feast  lasts  seven  days. 

"Let  me  attempt  to  describe  at  length,  for  no 
pen  can  truly  portray  all  the  wonders  of  that 
iBarvelous  assemblage,  one  of  the  last  feasts  which 
took  place,  ten  years  before  the  destruction  of 
the  city.  The  government  and  people  were  at 
that  time  in  their  most  perfect  unity. 

"About  three  days  before  the  set  date  of  the 
feast  there  could  be  noticed  a  little  stir  of  prep- 
aration all  over  the  country.     It  was     a     quiet 


130  OUR  STORY 

movement  toward  participation.  If  one  had 
been  lifted  above,  so  he  could  have  looked  upon 
the  continent  as  upon  a  map,  there  would  have 
been  perceived  during  these  three  days,  long  lines 
of  travelers,  some  on  foot,  and  others  by  every 
method  of  conveyance,  moving  upon  the  city  in 
converging  lines.  As  the  time  grew  shorter  the 
extent  of  these  lines  grew  shorter  and  the  ways 
close  to  the  city  and  in  the  city  itself  were  filled 
to  overflowing.  There  were  but  few  people  in 
the  outlying  country  who  had  not  some  friend 
or  relative  in  the  city  proper.  When  the  houses 
were  filled,  tents  were  spread  in  the  gardens, 
and  in  all  the  parks  and  places  of  assembly.  Thus 
there  was  a  new  appearance  given  to  the  light 
by  its  reflection  from  the  tents,  which  were  some 
of  linen  and  some  of  cotton,  but  all  bleached  very 
white  by  a  process  known  only  to  the  Atlantians 
and  never  imparted  to  any  other  nationality. 
Only  on  the  great  plateau  of  the  Temple  and 
the  areas  of  the  outer  courts,  no  tents  were  al- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  131 

lowed,  for  that  space  was  necessarily  kept  clear, 
that  there  might  be  room  for  the  greater  assem- 
bly. 

"As  the  ceremonies  were  in  commemoration  of 
the  new-born  sun,  the  hours  of  assembly  were 
morning  and  evening,  and  at  the  moment  of  the 
meridian  height.  On  the  first  day  of  the  feast, 
as  the  dawn  brightened  in  the  East,  out  of  the 
early  twilight,  there  could  be  heard  throughout 
the  whole  city  a  low,  muffled  sound  like  the  pour- 
ing of  a  swift  torrent  through  a  smooth  bed,  and 
as  soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to  see  all  the  outer 
courts  and  the  great  plateau  of  the  Temple  could 
be  perceived,  crowded  with  those  who  had  ar- 
rived to  take  part  in  the  inauguration  ceremo- 
nies. Their  faces  were  turned  toward  the  East, 
between  whose  far  horizon  and  the  eyes  of  the 
numberless  watchers  no  obstruction  intervened. 

"When  the  moment  approaches  for  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Ruler  of  the  Day,  a  low,  sweet  har- 
mony, sounding  in   rythmic  change,   welled   out 


132  OUR  STORY 

upon  the  air  in  slow,  restful  time  and  far-reach- 
ing tones,  from  the  great  Temple  choir,  who  were 
gathered  in  one  of  the  porches  of  the  Temple,  so 
raised  as  to  be  seen  by  all  the  vast  multitude.  As 
the  sounds  of  the  chant  gradually  swelled  by  the 
voices  of  the  worshippers,  became  more  intense 
in  power  and  heavier  in  volume,  all  the  vast  mul- 
titude seemed  to  sway,  under  the  psychic  spell 
of  this  invocation  to  the  Sun ;  this  symbol  of  wel- 
come to  one  who  returns  to  his  work  and  pur- 
pose. The  minutes  move  quickly  on,  the  invo- 
cation is  finished,  a  blast  of  trumpets  accompany- 
ing the  final  note;  the  orb  of  day,  with  tropical 
suddenness  springs  from  his  bed  beneath  the  sea. 
As  his  first  beams  fall  upon  the  countless  multi- 
tude, they  drop  upon  their  knees.  With  bowed 
heads,  in  silent  adoration,  they  ascribe  all  glory, 
all  power,  all  praise  to  that  which  stands  to  them 
as  the  manifested  source  of  life,  of  health,  of 
strength,  the  ever  sleepless  eye  of  the  One.  Then 
they  separate.    The  hours  are  spent  in  social  con- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  133 

verse,  or  the  abandonment  of  rest  and  quiet  until 
it  is  high  noon. 

"As  the  Sun  approaches  the  meridian,  all  the 
streets  and  byways,  all  the  housetops,  in  all 
places  where  there  may  be  a  worshipper,  behold 
his  face  turned  towards  the  Temple.  At  the 
moment  of  meridian  altitude,  above  the  highest 
pinnacle,  a  crystal  ball,  almost  as  dazzling  in  its 
brilliancy  as  the  sun  itself,  shoots  up,  and  for  a 
few  moments  receives  the  concentrated  thought 
of  all  the  faithful  throughout  the  city,  as  the  re- 
minder of  the  good  messenger  of  the  One,  the 
heighth  of  whose  glor\'  is  now  perceived.  Again, 
in  the  evening  there  is  a  convocation  at  the  Tem- 
ple. The  ceremonies  of  the  morning  are  re- 
peated, with  the  exception  that  the  song  is  one 
of  farewell;  the  multiude  facing  the  West  in- 
stead of  the  East,  and  the  hushing  sounds  of 
stringed  instruments  attend  his  exit  from  the 
Western  horizon. 

"These  ceremonies  are  continued  for  six  days. 


134  OUR  STORY 

There  are  various  other  ceremonies  which  take  up 
the  time  of  portions  of  the  Convocation,  between 
these  assemblies  of  the  whole.  There  are  also 
lines  of  Temple  services,  work  and  study.  Each 
of  the  sciences  having  its  appropriate  place  and 
each  being  developed  by  those  who  are  allied  in 
the  great  Brotherhood  of  the  Temple.  This  em- 
braced the  whole  people  in  its  ramifications.  It 
is  not  necessary  to  describe  these  in  all  their 
minutiae.  But  during  these  six  days  there  was 
continually  something  taking  place  in  the  city, 
always  having  its  moving  force  at  the  Temple. 
The  moving  of  a  procession  through  the  streets, 
a  convening  of  the  Temple  guides  or  guards,  lec- 
tures and  talks  from  those  who  were  so  well 
qualified  to  give  forth  from  full  fountains  to  the 
inner  souls,  eager  to  be  fed.  But  as  the  evening 
draws  on  after  the  waning  of  the  sixth  day,  once 
more,  all  the  courts  of  the  Temple  were  thronged. 
The  hum  of  conversation  dies  away  as  the  dark- 
ness grows  more  and  more  intense. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  135 

"Now,  when  it  shall  have  become  quite  dark, 
the  Temple  Choir  opens  the  exercises  with  the 
song  of  invocation.  It  differs  from  all  the 
music  of  the  Convocation,  hitherto,  in  key,  rythm 
and  time.  In  this  all  the  people  join.  As  the 
sound  vibrates  in  swelling  cadence,  rising  and 
falling  amongst  the  echoing  mountains,  the  ef- 
fect was  perfectly  indescribable,  for  the  Atlan- 
tians  were  especially  celebrated  for  being  sweet 
singers.  When  the  singing  was  finished  the  chief 
instructor  of  the  people  stood  upon  a  Tribune 
high  raised,  and  there  discoursed  of  the  things 
which  concerned  them  most  intimately  in  the 
physical  life;  of  whatever  they  stood  most  in 
need;  of  how  the  Sun  was  to  them  life  and 
health,  and  plenty  and  peace,  the  sign  and  repre- 
sentative of  all  good.  Then  he  directed  their  at- 
tention to  the  darkness,  which  sat  so  uneasily 
upon  them,  enforcing  rest  and  inability  to  work. 
Then  his  peroration  was  after  this  fashion: 
"The   darkness   is   death   and   desolation,   and 


136  OUR   STORY 

thus,  in  the  beginning,  the  Existent  saw,  when 
he  said:  'Let  there  be,  and  there  was,  light.'  At 
this  word  millions  of  lights  gleamed  out  all  over 
the  Temple,  inside,  outside,  even  on  the  highest 
points.  It  stood  forth  one  blaze  of  white  marble 
glory,  for  there  was  only  one  thing  about  elec- 
tricity the  Atlantians  do  not  know,  that  is  the 
point  where  knowledge  lays  hold  with  potency 
upon  the  One,  in  its  inmost  and  supreme  integ- 
rity of  existence. 

"There  are  other  ceremonies  of  minor  Impor- 
tance, pertaining  to  the  night,  but  this  is  the 
most  important.  There  are  no  sacrifices,  no 
shedding  of  the  blood  of  animal  or  human  vic- 
tims. The  Atlantians  do  not  believe  it  is  neces- 
sary to  teach  destruction  or  destructive  action  by 
such  sacrifice,  in  the  burning  or  destroying  of  any 
living  thing,  for  they  say  man  is  naturally  de- 
structive and  we  ought  to  teach  him  the  oppo- 
site. So  all  our  ceremonies  lacked  the  hideous 
shadow  of  agony  and  horror,  that  will  be  sure  to 


OF  ATLANTIS.  I37 

come  if  man  forgets  our  teachings.  But  the  great 
object  lessons  served  well  their  purpose  in  ele- 
vating the  whole  people  to  the  same  level,  and 
cementing  them  into  a  common  Brotherhood.  In 
the  next  chapter  I  will  describe  as  well  as  I  may, 
the  last  great  day  of  the  Feast. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


THAT  of  which  I  am  now  to  speak 
concerns  the  Atlantian  nation  when 
there  was  for  it  seemingly  nothing 
more  beyond,  in  glory,  prosperity  or  knowl- 
edge. I  am  warned  of  the  Unseen  not 
to  write  unguardedly,  but  with  circumspection, 
lest  there  come  power  for  mischief,  to  the  unob- 
ligated. 

"In  the  olden  days,  when  step  by  step  we  had 
painfully  and  laboriously  climbed  the  mountain 
heights  into  the  broad  blaze  of  the  everlasting 
truth,  the  world  lay  at  our  feet.  That  was  our 
intellectual  and  ph5^sical  status.  Whatever  there 
was  in  the  earth  itself  worth  having  or  knowing 


OF  ATLANTIS.  139 

was  in  our  possession  as  the  birthright  of  ages 
and  ages  of  previous  existence. 

"Furthermore,  we  coming  into  life  are  not 
clouded,  as  the  generations  to  come  will  be,  by 
physical  conditions  which  will  grow  thicker  and 
heavier  all  along  the  pathway  of  the  unrolling 
centuries.  It  will  be  because,  having  dominated 
whatsoever  there  may  be  of  physical  workings, 
we  shall  have  sought  also  to  master  that  which 
belongs  only  to  the  spiritual  realm,  that  we  shall 
be  cut  off.  There  is  but  one  God.  None  created 
can  sit  in  the  seat  of  the  uncreated.  None  who 
exist  by  the  thought  of  the  Infinite  One  can  hope 
to  explain  that  which  is  of  itself  the  Existent,  the 
Cause  of  all  results  manifested  or  unmanifested. 

"In  the  first  part  of  the  development  of  the 
Atlantian  nation  all  communication  was  carried 
on  by  outer  sense  vibration,  even  as  now.  Per- 
haps the  vibrations  were  not  as  intense  as  at  the 
present.  But  in  the  latter  days  they  who  are 
instructed  are  taught  by  thought  transference. 

"The  education  of  the  young  is  not  along  the 


140  OUR  STORY 

line  of  simple  memorizing.  Nor  is  it  only  the 
unfolding  of  partially  physical  senses.  It  does 
not  appeal  to  material  sense  for  the  building  of 
the  soul.  We  do  not  hope  that  out  of  bodily  con- 
ditions we  can  bring  any  help  to  the  spiritual. 
For  we  know  whatever  belongs  to  and  lies  along 
the  line  of  the  physical,  rising  to  the  highest 
source  within  itself  can  rise  no  higher  than  that 
point.  More  than  that,  the  physical  in  its  most 
perfect  form  begets  weakness  and  death.  How 
can  there  be  anything  beyond  this  but  weakness 
and  death? 

"This  is  one  of  our  axiomatic  doctrines.  In 
manifestation  we  simply  see  an  exemplification 
of  that  which  occurred  on  the  spiritual  plane. 

"In  the  days  to  come  the  professor  of  mathe- 
matics will  state  an  axiom  or  a  proposition,  and 
then  going  to  the  blackboard,  and  upon  it,  ap- 
pealing to  the  sense  of  sight,  will  demonstrate  in 
manifestation  the  impression  he  seeks  to  make, 
of  the  secret  workings  of  the  force  beyond.     If 


OF  ATLANTIS,  141 

he  is  a  chemist  he  will  bring  before  his  hearers 
certain  elements,  and  out  of  the  unions  of  these 
elements,  out  of  the  separation  of  the  conditions, 
there  will  grow  up  or  manifest  themselves,  cer- 
tain, perhaps,  startling  conditions.  But  that 
which  then  takes  place  is  not  the  truth  he  is  try- 
ing to  prove;  it  is  simply  a  demonstration  of  the 
truth.  Nor  is  the  professor  of  mathematics  try- 
ing to  show  you  the  truth.  He  will  simply  be 
trying  to  prove  that  to  be  true  which  he  has 
learned  from  the  physical  side. 

"Do  not  confound  that  which  is  unmanifested, 
with  the  manifested.  The  unmanifested  is  the 
cause  of  everything  manifested.  The  manifested 
exists  because  the  unmanifested  is  its  primal 
cause,  reaching  down  through  all  the  ages.  So 
we  do  not  in  these  days  linger  over  demonstra- 
tions, or  in  any  way  try  to  prove  by  simple  mani- 
festation the  existence  of  the  invisible  and  un- 
manifested. 

"But  the  first  course  of  training  our  students 


142  OUR  STORY 

receive  is  a  line  of  strengthening  for  their  men- 
tality. If  there  are  those  who  are  so  physically 
constituted  that  the  machinery  of  their  thought, 
the  power  by  which  they  could  receive  of  the 
force  outside  of  themselves,  is  in  any  way  unfit  or 
incompetent,  they  are  first  treated  by  the  thought 
of  those  who  are  about  them,  to  bring  them  up 
into  a  healthful  condition,  as  it  is  termed,  on  the 
physical  plane.  Really  the  condition  is  simply 
one  of  harmony." 

The  knowledge  which  has  come  in  these  latter 
days,  to  us  who  have  the  pleasure  of  perusing  this 
manuscript,  variously  named  "the  science  of  spir- 
itual conditions — mental  science — science  of  truth 
— science  of  knowing" — call  it  what  you  will,  is 
really  a  glimpse  gotten  hold  of,  by  one  who  was 
clear-sighted  and  who,  in  the  development  of  the 
idea,  has  manifested  the  bravery  of  the  old  soul. 
It  is  only  to  these  old  souls  are  intrusted  the 
works  that  will  stir  every  man's  heart  that  hears 
of  them.     It  is,  however,  by  standing  before  the 


OF  ATLANTIS.  143 

world  and  demonstrating  for  years  and  years, 
that  which  is  the  germ-cell  of  a  most  wonderful 
knowledge,  the  unfolding  along  invisible  and 
spiritual  lines  can  be  accomplished.  But  I  must 
not  forget  to  state  that  the  privilege  of  giving 
out  these  truths,  so  that  they  can  be  understood 
belongs  to  the  Atlantian-born. 

If  these  stand  in  their  places  to-day  and  de- 
clare their  personal  knowledge  to  be  truth,  until 
that  truth  is  recognized,  they  have  done  for  them- 
selves a  service — it  matters  not  whether  the 
clouds  and  thick  darkness  may  inclose  them 
afterwards.  That  portion  of  the  truth  which  they 
liave  put  forth  will  stand  forever  and  forever. 
So  what  we  know  as  an  occasional  matter  of 
healing  after  a  miraculous  fashion  was  a  thing 
of  ever3-day  occurrence  with  the  Old  Atlantians. 
Those  who  united  for  the  purpose  of  increasing 
the  race  mated  themselves  first,  according  to  the 
best  knowledge  belonging  to  the  astrologers  of 
those  days.     Thus  mated,  it  rarely  happened  as 


144  OUR  STORY 

one  of  our  poets  hath  sung:  "Deformed,  unfin- 
ished, sent  before  my  time  into  this  breathing 
world,  scarce  half-made  up,"  was  the  fate  of  any 
one  born  of  woman.  When  any  unripeness  of 
this  kind  appeared,  it  was  treated  successfully 
on  the  mental  plane. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE  students  came  together  in  classes,  or 
small  assemblies  to  hear  and  learn  of 
the  Wise  Ones.  The  Wise  Ones  did 
not  undertake  to  talk  to  the  outer  physical  senses 
as  I  am  talking  to  you  to-day,  but  through 
thought-transference,  that  more  vigorous  and  per- 
meating condition,  which  some  day,  some  of  you 
will  perceive  and  know,  and  this  whole  nation, 
so  largely  Atlantian,  will  come  into  the  full  pos- 
session of.  Not  only  could  the  subject  intended 
to  be  taught  be  fully  and  completely  received,  but 
with  more  intensity  and  a  broader  wave  action 
on  the  plane  of  intellect,  than  you  now  receive. 
Suppose,  as  has  been  said  to  you,  in  this  day, 


146  OUR  STORY 

while  we  listened  delightedly,  it  were  possible 
to  give  to  a  class  of  students,  by  asking  them  to 
sit  still  a  few  moments,  a  demonstration  of  the 
vibrations  of  color,  sound  or  other  sensed  vibra- 
tion, that  lies  just  beyond.  If  I,  as  a  professor, 
and  you  as  a  class,  sit  listening  eagerly,  and  I  say 
to  you :  "Sit  still  for  a  moment,  turn  inward  your 
consciousness  and  perceive,"  then  I  could  by  the 
force  of  thought  directed  by  my  own  mentality 
make  visible  to  you  the  quiet,  the  peace,  the  har- 
mony that  always  does,  and  must,  attend  the  in- 
ner vision — how  much  time  it  would  save;  how 
much  better  you  would  remember  it,  than  now, 
when  you  have  to  formulate  within  your  own 
brains  the  words  symbolyzing  the  vibrations 
which  I  poorly  convey  to  you,  and  which  no  two 
of  you  can  conceive  or  perceive  exactly  alike. 
This  was  our  intellectually  exceptional  and  bril- 
liant mental  training. 

Whoever  was  particularly  bright,  desirous  to 
know  of  all   truth,   whose  eyes   turning  to  the 


OF  ATLANTIS.  147 

great,  white  tower,  lifting  itself  aloft  above  our 
Temple,  wished  within  themselves  that  some 
day  within  its  shadow  they  might  learn  more  of 
these  things,  were  always  sure  to  have  the  op- 
portunity. When  this  eventful  time  came  and 
the  gateway  was  opened  wide,  there  came  also 
the  obligation  for  fulfilling  even  as  the  obliga- 
tions come  to-day. 

That  which  a  master  of  the  later  day  said :  "A 
new  commandment  give  I  unto  you,  that  ye  love 
one  another,"  was  the  inspiration,  the  thought 
and  the  most  intense  dictum  of  those  who  taught 
in  the  Temple.  There  must  be  perfect  unity, 
perfect  harmony,  perfect  love  for  one  another. 
Oh,  that  you  of  this  latter  day  had  never  forgot- 
ten, you  who  have  remembered  and  put  in  prac- 
tice all  the  commandments  of  the  "dreadful  ten," 
concerning  the  physical,  would  only  recall  and 
practice  the  Eleventh.  Then  all  that  could  be 
needed  in  the  visible  life  would  come. 

Seek  ye  first  the  knowledge  and  potency  of  the 


148  OUR  STORY 

Unseen  in  the  realm  of  Truth  and  there  will 
come  to  you  knowledge  of  all  else."  The  knowl- 
edge of  the  physical  cannot  be  so  very  much.  It 
lies  along  the  contemplation  of  a  few  simple, 
foundamental  principles.  It  is  not  so  difficult  to 
make  gold  as  might  be  considered.  It  is  not  so 
difficult  to  do  various  other  things  which  have 
come  to  our  knowledge.  Every  step  you  have 
climbed  along  the  way,  which  seemed  so  diffi- 
cult at  its  first  contemplation,  after  it  has  been 
accomplished,  grew  easier  with  the  added  knowl- 
edge. 

Our  records  in  stone,  contained  in  the  great 
treasury  of  the  waters,  hold  embodied  fundamen- 
tal principles  as  established  truths,  which  many 
earnest  souls  groping  in  search  along  the  higher 
lines  to  discover,  would  give  years  of  their  own 
lives  to  know.  Some  of  these,  sooner  or  later, 
will  come  into  knowledge.  Those  willing  to  ad- 
vance, to  expend  the  time  necessary,  to  make  the 
sacrifices  and  take  upon  themselves  the  obliga- 


OF  ATLANTIS,  i49 

tion  which  must  rest  upon  the  consciences  of  all 
who  are  admitted  to  participation  in  the  truths 
world-wide  in  the  scope  of  their  action,  are  can- 
didates for  knowing  and  understanding.  They 
will  certainly  advance  beyond  the  three-fold 
gates  into  the  great  mysteries. 

That  which  belonged  to  the  Atlantians  as  a 
nation  intellectually  and  morally  was  the  control 
of  all  knowledge,  except  that  which  belonged  to 
the  origin  and  power  of  life.  This  concerns  the 
One  alone. 

Some  of  you  whom  I  knew  as  men  in  the  olden 
days,  I  now  perceive  as  women.  But  the  spirit 
that  lies  behind  each  one  of  you  is  the  same;  the 
perception  that  looks  out  of  the  eyes  is  the  same 
perception  that  looked  out  of  the  body  or  dress 
you  wore  then,  thousands  of  years  ago.  Oh,  if 
you  of  this  day  and  generation  could  only  un- 
derstand and  perceive  the  treachery  of  the  physi- 
cal embrace,  how  the  enwrapping  into  the  physi- 
cal is  only  a  manifestation  for  the  processes  of  ac- 


150  OUR  STORY 

complishment.  If  the  experiences  can  come  only 
through  the  body  of  a  man,  it  takes  that.  If  the 
object  of  the  coming  back  into  the  lives  can  only 
be  accomplished  through  the  body  of  a  woman, 
it  accepts  that,  with  its  modicum  of  joy  and  ter- 
rible burdens  of  pain  and  mad  agony  on  all 
planes.  The  body  is  nothing!  The  soul  of  the 
Ego  is  everything. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


IT  was  a  doctrine  of  the  Atlantians  that  the 
body  of  the  physical  which  enwraps  us,  is 
adapted  to  the  need  of  the  Ego  holding  it, 
as  a  manifestation  of  the  processes  of  accomplish- 
ment. If  the  ego  coming  back  into  the  lives  can- 
not accomplish  its  own  unfolding,  save  through 
some  particular  experience,  it  compasses  that  par- 
ticular experience,  if  it  is  within  its  possibilities. 
From  age  to  age,  from  generation  to  generation, 
that  which  stands  behind  all,  is  ever  the  same. 
That  which  overshadows  all  is  a  part  of  the  Di- 
vine Existence,  is  one  with  the  One — a  part  of 
the  Divine  Existence,  indivisible  and  always  the 
same.  This  was  the  primary  knowledge,  taught 
first  in  the  forests,  amid  the  rocks  and  mountains; 
and  afterwards  in  the  Great  Temple  builded  into 
these  mountains.     It  must  be  remembered  that 


152  OUR    STORY 

very  much  of  the  work  done  in  the  Temple  was 
accomplished  by  the  control  of  the  elements  or 
elemental  forces,  which  the  Brotherhood  under- 
stood and  exercised  even  in  those  far  off  days, 
for  the  lightening  of  the  toil  of  the  physical. 
This,  you  in  this  day  and  generation  have  some- 
what recovered.  But  instead  of  saying  to  the 
force  universal,  do  this,  you  chain  some  portion 
of  it,  and  bring  it  under  limitation  of  form. 
These  limitations  act  for  you,  tirelessly  toiling 
day  and  night.  And  so,  there  does  not  come  out 
of  the  surrounding  conditions  and  vibrations  the 
reacting  powers  and  forces  which  generally  tend 
to  the  physical  retarding  of  any  great  building 
or  other  work  of  importance,  because  they  are 
made  up  of  the  groans  and  moans  of  those  who 
toil  In  the  physical  body  to  accomplish. 

When  elemental  force  builds,  it  builds  be- 
cause of  its  forcefulness,  and  there  is  nothing  to 
retard.  In  no  sense  is  there  anything  for  regret 
or  reparation.    There  are  no  tears,  there  are  no 


OF  ATLANTIS.  153 

blood  marks  anywhere  throughout  the  whole 
work.  It  is  clean.  It  is  set  in  motion  and  di- 
rected by  the  force  which  originates  in  the  po- 
tency of  man  the  created,  who  thus  becomes  a 
connecting  link  with  the  potency  of  the  One  who 
manifested  as  the  Universe. 

In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  Continent  was 
a  group  of  rocky  mountains.  These  rocks 
reached  far  down  beneath  the  ordinary  level  of 
the  soil.  They  seem  to  have  been  buttressed  up, 
apparently  from  the  very  center  of  the  earth  it- 
self, but  that  it  was  not  so,  appeared  by  the 
future  events.  But  in  any  event  they  were  strong 
enough  to  hold  tons  upon  tons  of  piled  up  rock  in 
whatever  shape  it  might  appear. 

So,  first  the  rocks  were  cut  down  to  a  level, 
and  a  huge  plaza  was  thus  cleared  from  east  to 
west,  in  such  a  fashion  that  both  the  rising  and 
the  setting  sun  could  be  seen  from  any  part  there- 
of. Also,  the  North  Star  and  the  Southern 
Cross,   each   low  in   the  heavens  could   be  seen 


154  OUR   STORY 

by  anyone  standing  upon  the  Plaza.  The  human 
view  was  unobstructed  from  horizon  to  horizon, 
so  far  as  the  power  of  the  eye  could  penetrate. 
This  plaza  was  ample  enough  to  hold  in  its  con- 
fines every  single  member  of  the  Atlantian  nation 
at  one  time.  It  was  many  acres  in  extent. 
It  is  wonderful  how  many  people  can  stand  on 
one  acre,  if  they  are  only  harmonious. 

This  great  plaza  was  necessary  for  the  Con- 
vocations, and  the  yearly  ceremonies  when  all  the 
people  went  up  to  the  Temple  to  receive  guid- 
ance and  instruction  for  the  coming  year.  This 
Convocation  was  always  at  the  time  of  the  Ver- 
nal Equinox  when  renewed  impetus  comes  both 
to  the  vegetable  and  the  animal. 

Thus  the  mountains  partly  cut  down,  left 
space  also  for  the  facade  which  was  tunneled  into 
for  the  interior  of  the  building  from  the  front, 
and  to  this  excavation  additional  structures  were 
added  from  time  to  time,  to  meet  the  necessities 
of  the  Temple  Colony.       That  is,  wings  were 


OF  ATLANTIS.  155 

built,  and  additional  stories  added,  all  with  re- 
gard to  the  symmetry  of  the  whole.  The  rooms 
and  colonnades  all  yielded  to  the  unification  of 
the  whole,  which  was  the  education  of  the  Tem- 
ple Staf?,  and  through  them  of  the  whole  people. 
At  the  northeast  corner,  as  I  have  already 
mentioned,  on  the  foundations  of  solid  rock, 
reaching  far  down  into  the  earth,  was  builded 
story  after  story  a  tower,  upon  this  tower's  top 
was  located  the  tallest  observatory  that  has  ever 
been  known  in  the  world.  There,  they  who 
were  wise,  and  who  were  considered  best,  after 
having  passed  triumphantly  through  the  intrica- 
cies, the  education  and  unfolding  of  the  lower  de- 
grees, kept  constant  ward  and  watch.  Out  of 
this  tower,  at  its  lower  part,  proceeded  forth 
over  the  great  area,  the  wall  of  the  Temple  in- 
closing the  Great  Hall  of  Convocation,  and  the 
Temple  proper,  and  from  the  Holy  of  Holies  at 
the  bottom  of  the  tower.  Light,  Strength  and 
Force,  at  times  of  Convocation,  streamed   forth 


156  OUR  STORY 

as  the  result  of  the  united  power  of  the  Three, 
Five,  Seven,  Fifteen  and  Forty-five.  But  let  us 
turn  to  a  fuller  description  of  the  tower. 

"The  tower  was  22^  feet  in  diameter  at  the 
highest  point  of  the  coping.  It  was  built  of 
hewn  stone  in  the  shape  of  the  trunk  of  a  tree, 
large  at  its  base,  growing  a  little  smaller  in  di- 
ameter, half  way  up,  and  then  widening  again. 

"This  model  from  nature,  was  considered  the 
strongest  form.  The  stones,  as  I  have  said,  were 
nicely  cut  and  laid  in  a  peculiar  cement,  found 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  Continent,  which 
once  hardened  was  as  firm  as  the  rock  itself.  So 
the  tower  bore  itself  aloft,  as  if  it  were  one  solid 
stone. 

Over  the  top,  at  the  distance  of  ten  feet  from 
the  floor  at  the  coping  was  a  spherical  dome.  It 
was  of  glass,  and  more  than  that,  it  was  made 
of  a  single  piece,  as  transparent  as  water  itself. 
Through  this  all  the  motions  of  the  heavenly  bod- 
ies could  be  seen  and  minuted   from  convenient 


OF  ATLANTIS.  157 

points  of  observation,  in  the  chamber  below. 
The  floor  of  the  hall  was  of  mosaic,  wrought  in 
figures,  and  when  it  shall  reappear,  he  who  is 
wise  may  read  in  this  a  history  of  the  founding 
of  the  temple,  its  date,  its  object  and  the  pur- 
poses to  which  it  was  dedicated. 

At  one  edge  there  was  set  in  the  wall  a  circu- 
lar disc  that  was  movable  at  the  time  of  the  en- 
trance or  departure,  for  him  who  knew  the  secret 
spring.  This  was  known  only  to  the  Three,  one 
of  whom  was  constantly  on  duty,  in  attendance 
on  the  "holy  of  holies,"  of  this  Temple.  There 
was  another  "holy  of  holies"  in  the  great  Hall 
of  Convocation,  but  that  was  the  symbol  of  the 
highest  person  of  the  "Superior  Wisdom."  One 
was  the  Superior  Wisdom  and  the  other  the  In- 
ferior Wisdom.  Over  this  floor  so  tasselated  was 
spread  to  protect  it  from  injury,  a  carpet  of  heavy 
linen,  woven  so  closely  that  it  was  almost  im- 
pervious to  impressions  from  without  upon  it. 
The  usual  wear  and  tear  of  things  earthly,  did 


158  OUR  STORY 

not  affect  it  in  the  least.  This  was  stretched 
tightly  upon  the  whole  floor.  Upon  the  upper 
surface  of  this  was  drawn  a  circle  of  the  whole 
circumference  of  the  chamber.  Within  this  per- 
iphery were  drawn  three  other  circles,  which 
joined  each  other  at  their  circumferences,  and 
whose  centers  were  each  equally  distant  from  the 
center  of  the  great  circle.  Through  these  were 
drawn  the  intersecting  equilateral  triangles  and 
the  six-pointed  star.  In  the  center  of  these  in- 
scribed circles  was  placed  a  seat,  one  for  each 
of  the  Three.  In  the  center  of  the  great  circle 
was  a  tripod  holding  a  censor,  in  which  burned 
the  Eternal  Fire.  In  their  invocations,  when 
they  were  reaching  out  to  conquer  new  territory 
in  the  invisible,  it  was  absolutely  necessary  that 
the  potency  of  the  Three  should  be  embodied  in 
the  outer  circle.  Co-ordinate  with  this  effort, 
the  potency  of  each  must  guard  his  own  par- 
ticular circle,  while  from  the  center  it  was  es- 
sential should  be  wafted  into  space,  the  potency 


OF  ATLANTIS.  159 

which  could  call  and  conquer.  These  were  all 
used  upon  especial  occasions.  These  vigils  were 
nightly  and  daily  and  the  record  of  their  observa- 
tions were  carefully  kept.  These  three  were 
wise  men,  for  they  had  risen  step  by  step  from 
the  knowledge  of  earthly  things  and  their  en- 
vironments to  a  point  where  they  could  perceive 
all  that  could  or  would  happen,  not  only  to  At- 
lantis, but  to  all  the  remainder  of  this  planet. 

They  had  also  attained  the  point  where  other 
furnishings  were  not  necessary  for  their  assist- 
ance, for  in  the  perception  of  the  Divine  Birth- 
right, they  declared  themselves  one  with  the  All 
Potency,  and  so  acted,  so  demanded  and  so  per- 
ceived. This  perception  finally  engendered  pride 
of  station,  which  conjoined  to  their  knowledge, 
was  the  cause  of  their  overthrow. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


IN  considering  the  remaining  secret  Chambers 
let  us  remember  that  all  knowledge  comes 
from  the  home  of  the  Great  Gods — the  si- 
lence where  everything  is,  that  is. 

Between  the  station  of  the  Three  and  the 
Five,  was  a  heavy  floor  of  masonry,  each  stone 
of  which  fitted  into  all  the  others,  even  as  one 
piece  of  solid  rock  is  fitted  into  its  surrounding 
rock.  Had  it  all  been  one  piece  it  could  not 
have  been  more  lasting  nor  more  compact.  The 
arch  of  the  lower  chamber  was  like  the  arch  of 
the  upper  chamber.  From  the  highest  con- 
cavity of  the  lower  ceiling  to  the  floor  of  the 
upper  chamber  was  three  and  eight- tenths  feet  of 
solid  masonry.  The  arch  of  the  lower  chamber 
rested  upon  or  sprang  from  five  pillars  in  the 
walls  of  the  circular  chamber.    Between  each  of 


OF  ATLANTIS.  i6i 

these  a  single  piece  of  marble  was  set,  polished 
to  the  highest  possible  point.  One  was  white, 
one  was  black,  one  was  white,  one  was  black  and 
one  was  white.  Between  the  two  white  ones 
was  a  band  of  burnished  gold,  the  art  of  pre- 
paring which,  after  being  lost  for  ages,  was  re- 
covered again  in  Etruria,  whose  wondrous  mas- 
terpieces are  the  marvel  and  glory  of  the  present 
time.  It  glittered  and  shone,  as  only  that  metal 
can  respond  to  the  artizan's  hand.  These  mar- 
ble mirrors  were  turned  towards  the  earth,  at  a 
slight  angle,  and  in  them  could  be  seen,  as  in 
the  pages  of  an  open  book,  all  things  that  were 
happening,  had  happened  or  were  about  to  hap- 
pen. That  is  to  say,  by  the  art  of  the  Wise  Ones, 
these  had  become  reflectors  of  the  Astral  Books. 
Whoever  knew  the  cipher  could  read,  but  to 
know  the  cipher  they  must  be  able  to  perceive, 
and  no  person  could  be  eligible  to  membership 
in  the  Five,  who  under  training  did  not  mani- 
fest this  power  of  perception.     When  the  love  of 


i62  OUR  STORY 

learning  and  the  desire  for  understanding  had 
given  him  the  first  rudiments  of  the  cipher,  he 
was  transferred  hither.  Then,  as  if  in  a  vision, 
he  was  allowed  to  give  proof  whether  he  could 
see  and  read.  If  he  failed  he  was  returned 
whence  he  came  for  further  training,  if  it  ap- 
peared the  gift  was  his.  If  not,  then  only  that 
which  had  happened  to  him  was  his  as  if  he  had 
dreamed  it. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  say  that  the  Five 
were  rapid  and  accurate  readers  of  whatever 
their  wills  sought  to  know.  That  which  was 
good  was  perceived  in  the  white  mirrors.  That 
which  was  evil  or  obstructive  was  seen  in  the 
black  mirrors.  So  long  as  Atlantis  was  in  its 
greatest  power  and  glory,  so  long  was  the  num- 
ber maintained  as  I  have  described  it.  But  dur- 
ing the  last  twenty-five  years  of  the  existence 
of  the  Temple  in  the  city,  the  odd  mirror  in  the 
white  had  clouded  over  in  a  singular  fashion, 
growing  darker  and  darker,  until  the  final  de- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  163 

struction,  and  to-day,  under  the  waters  there  are 
three  black  and  two  white  mirrors;  but  when 
the  hour  of  redemption  shall  have  struck,  the 
stain  will  be  wiped  away  from  the  white.  Once 
more  there  will  be  three  white  and  two  black  mir- 
rors. In  the  records  of  the  past,  written  on  the 
floor  of  the  upper  chamber,  there  was  this  proph- 
ecy: "When  the  three  are  all  black,  swift  de- 
struction Cometh  to  the  Temple  and  the  peo- 
ple." 

This  had  been  well  known  by  those  whose  am- 
bition should  have  led  to  higher  and  better 
things,  and  although  they  wondered  at  the  con- 
tinuous change  for  the  worse,  so  clouded  had 
their  minds  become  by  their  selfish  ambitions  that 
no  notice  was  taken  of  the  dreadful  warning. 

Although   the  chamber  was  solid    and    there 

were  neither  windows  nor  doors,  there  were 
means  of  ventilation  by  which  fresh  air  was  con- 
veyed into  and  out  of  this  apparent  tomb.  The 
means  of  entrance  were  the  same  as  those  of  the 


164  OUR  STORY 

upper  chamber.  Although  no  aperture  communi- 
cated with  the  sunlight,  yet  apparently  the  light 
from  the  great  dome  overhead,  passed  through 
the  solid  masonry,  as  though  it  were  glass.  What- 
ever could  be  seen  by  the  light  in  the  upper 
chamber,  with  its  magnificent  dome  of  crystal, 
could  just  as  easily  be  seen  in  the  chamber  of  the 
Five.  On  the  floor  of  this  chamber  also  was  an 
extremely  fine,  mosaic  record  of  the  nation,  and  of 
the  occult  happenings  to  the  same.  Over  this 
was  a  carpet  of  the  same  material  as  that  above, 
and  a  circle  twenty-two  and  eight-tenths  feet  in 
diameter.  Within  this  was  drawn  a  pentagon, 
thirteen  and  eight-tenths  feet  on  a  side.  From 
the  center  of  each  side  of  the  pentagon  to  the 
point  of  contact  with  the  circle,  a  semi-circle  was 
drawn.  In  the  center  of  the  circle  was  a  smaller 
circle  touching  all  the  semi-circles,  four  and 
eight-tenths  feet  in  diameter.  Where  these  semi- 
circles intersected  each  other  were  four  figures 
resembling  elipses.     At  the  point    corresponding 


OF  ATLANTIS.  165 

to  the  focus — the  point  farthest  from  the  center, 
was  the  station  of  him  who  officiated.  You  will 
see  when  you  draw  these  lines  how  intimately 
was  the  sustaining  power  of  each  bounded  by  the 
great  circle  of  the  environment.  All  were  lim- 
ited, supported  and  sustained.  In  the  inner,  the 
smaller  circle  representing  with  the  center,  the 
power  of  the  One  was  reached  and  held  by  the 
semi-circle  of  each,  and  each  was  supported  in 
turn  by  that  of  his  brother,  next  to  him,  on  the 
left,  and  by  his  own  power,  until  the  whole  cir- 
cle was  completed. 

Here  the  triangle  has  become  the  pentagon 
and  the  symbol  of  the  intimate  relations  of  those 
who  are  brothers  was  carried  out  fully  and  com- 
pletely. All  the  civilization  the  world  boasts  to- 
day is  the  result  of  the  vibrations  set  in  motion 
within  this  noted  tower  of  the  Atlantians. 

Between  the  divisions  of  the  Three  and  the 
Five  were  three  feet  of  solid  masonry.  The  roof 
was  arched   as  the  heavens  seem  to  be  arched, 


166  OUR  STORY 

and  this  arch  was  lined  with  an  alloy  of  silver, 
gold  and  copper,  an  alloy  which  the  citizens  of 
the  world  to-day  would  give  much  to  be  able  to 
imitate. 

It  was  polished  to  the  highest  degree  of  finish, 
but  strange  to  say,  it  did  not  reflect  a  single  thing 
taking  place  in  the  chamber.  It  was  supported 
in  its  place  by  seven  pilasters :  One  of  orichalcum, 
one  of  gold,  one  of  silver,  one  of  lead,  one  of  tin, 
one  of  copper  and  one  of  platinum. 

This  was  used  instead  of  quicksilver,  because 
the  quicksilver  could  not  be  retained  in  place  nor 
form,  and  the  platinum  was  its  opposite.  On  the 
plate  of  platinum  at  its  base,  was  engraved  the 
proportions  of  the  alloy  used  in  this  great  con- 
cavity. 

There  were  always  sounds  emanating  from  it. 
Sometimes  they  were  sweet  and  harmonious, 
sometimes  sonorous  and  turbulent;  for  it  did  not 
reflect  anything  within  the  chamber.  It  was  a 
reflector  of  the  nation's  sounds,  and  of  all  those 


OF  ATLANTIS.  167 

with  whom  they  had  dealings.  It  was  in  touch 
with  all  the  planets,  and  it  was  a  curious  fact 
that  in  reflecting  the  sounds  it  also  reflected  the 
colors  of  the  sounds,  because  the  same  vibrations 
that  make  sound  produce  color  also.  So  you  see 
that  in  one  chamber  attention  was  called  to  the 
working  of  the  One  in  the  Heavens,  and  in  the 
next  chamber  could  be  perceived  the  operations 
of  man's  thought  on  the  Astral  plane,  and  in  the 
chamber  of  the  Seven,  we  are  now  about  to  de- 
scribe, the  study  was  of  the  manifesting  of  thought 
in  its  first  potency.  Thus  in  each  grade,  ap- 
proaching nearer  and  nearer  to  those  to  whom 
they  ministered,  and  who  should  have  been  their 
first  care  always,  and  above  everything  else  their 
supreme  concern. 

This  chamber  also,  like  the  others,  was  per- 
meated by  the  light  which  knows  and  recognizes 
no  obstruction.  The  light  was  of  equal  volume, 
quality  and  quantity  as  that  which  lighted  the  up- 
permost chamber,  and  it  had  the  same  peculiarity 


i68  OUR  STORY 

of  penetrating  and  giving  distinct  view.  It  per- 
vaded the  whole  chamber,  without  having  any 
visible  source.  Upon  this  floor  also  was  written 
in  mosaic,  as  in  the  other  chambers,  a  continuance 
of  the  history  and  progress  of  the  nation  and  the 
city. 

Over  this,  too,  was  spread,  as  in  the  other 
chambers,  the  carpet.  Upon  this  carpet  was  a 
circle  of  twenty-one  feet  in  diameter.  Within  this 
circle  was  described  a  heptagon,  to  the  center 
were  drawn  radii,  thus  making  each  side  of  the 
heptagon  the  base  of  a  triangle  of  which  the  two 
radii  were  the  other  two  sides.  Within  each  of 
these  triangles  was  inscribed  a  circle,  touching 
each  of  the  sides.  The  center  of  these  circles 
was  the  station  of  one  of  the  Seven.  In  operat- 
ing they  might  look  to  the  center  or  the  circum- 
ference, or  to  each  alternately.  But  whatever 
was  done  was  always  with  the  utmost  harmony 
and  unity  of  potency. 

There  is  still  one  more  chamber  of  potent  ef- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  169 

fort,  that  is  the  Chamber  of  the  fifteen.  The 
Chamber  of  the  fort3'-five  was  more  that  of  a 
school  of  training  than  a  laboratory  of  occult 
force.  The  thickness  of  the  separating  masonry 
was  seven  feet.  In  the  center  it  presented  a  square 
rising  above  the  roof  of  the  Temple.  Within  it 
was  a  square  room  with  the  sides  facing  each  of 
the  points  of  the  compass.  Circular  windows, 
one  each,  pierced  the  walls  of  the  four  sides.  The 
one  on  the  east  was  red,  the  one  on  the  west  was 
blue,  the  south  was  yellow,  and  the  north,  white. 

The  floor  was  laid  in  tiles,  and  the  tiles  were 
of  a  material  which  generations  of  wear  could 
not  destroy.  And  upon  these  was  a  lesson  which 
contained  absolutely,  from  beginning  to  end,  all 
the  knowledge  that  man  would  ever  need  or  could 
expect  to  attain  upon  the  earth.  The  wisest 
m.ight  read  it  partially.  To  those  lacking  under- 
standing, if  they  could  decipher,  it  was  still  a 
mystery  and  foolishness. 

This  may  seem  impossible,  but  it  is  true  never- 


170  OUR  STORY 

theless,  when  man  learns  that  all  rays  come  from 
the  One,  it  will  not  be  such  a  difficult  task  to 
find  the  way  to  the  source  and  origin  of  all  that 
mystifies  and  perplexes  him  on  the  earth.  It  is 
because  he  believes  there  are  many,  and  that  the 
shadows  and  changing  illusions  are  of  the  es- 
sence and  quality  of  the  real,  that  he  diffuses  his 
power  and  baffles  his  own  inquiries. 

In  this  Chamber,  in  a  semi-elipse  were  fifteen 
seats,  seven  on  each  side  of  the  keystone  of  the 
arch.  The  roof  was  also  square.  In  one  of  the 
foci  was  a  crystal  globe,  from  which  light  always 
emanated.  In  the  hours  of  rest  it  was  necessary. 
In  the  hours  of  day,  light  from  the  outer  per- 
meated the  room.  The  crystal  globe  hung  mid- 
way from  floor  to  ceiling  without  visible  sup- 
port, swaying  gently  with  the  movements  of  the 
thought  currents  about  it.  In  the  other  focus 
of  this  semi-elipse  three  brazen  serpents,  sup- 
ported on  their  tails  and  rearing  upwards,  held 
aloft  in  their  mouths  a  censer  in  which  burned 


OF  ATLANTIS.  171 

the  perpetual  fire. 

During  the  time  of  sessions,  incense  and  per- 
fumes fed  by  invisible  hands,  brought  peculiar  ef- 
fects to  those  waiting  for  instruction  and  guid- 
ance. It  was  here,  those  who  were  fitted,  after 
training  in  the  school  of  the  forty-five  and  wait- 
ing, were  selected  for  admisssion  under  obliga- 
tion for  further  training  and  practice.  If  they 
kept  their  obligation  they  then  might  sometime 
hope  for  promotion. 

If  they  did  not  keep  their  obligation  then  they 
fell  back.  There  was  always  more  or  less  change 
going  on  in  this  chamber  of  trial.  From  these 
Fifteen,  culled  from  the  whole  nation,  came  the 
Seven,  Five  and  Three.  Nor  were  they  allowed 
to  know  of  the  powers  beyond  them,  except  they 
occupied  the  chair  of  the  Elder  Brother,  who 
was  their  appointed  leader  and  guide. 

They  came  and  went  amongst  the  people,  and 
were  considered  as  persons  of  authority  amongst 
the  Temple  Dwellers.     They  were  but  little  re- 


172  OUR   STORY 

moved  from  the  forces  lying  below  them,  which 
they  utterly  and  entirely  controlled  for  the  pur- 
pose of  massing  and  using  them  for  concentrated 
power. 

This  chamber  rested  upon  the  massive  walls 
of  the  Forty-five  by  a  ponderous  arch,  whose 
spherical  edges  met  the  solid  rock,  the  buttressed 
foundation  of  the  world,  seemingly  uplifted  for 
the  vet}'  purpose  of  this  support. 

Beneath  the  floor  of  the  chamber  of  the  Forty- 
five  was  hewn  out  the  "Holy  of  Holies"  of  the 
Great  Hall  of  Convocation,  so  that  the  mysteries 
intended  and  desired  to  be  communicated,  could 
be  made  manifest  to  the  people  at  the  stated 
times  and  seasons.  This  was  the  ultimate  out- 
come of  all  this  interlinking  of  organization. 

The  chamber  of  the  Forty-five  was  twenty-five 
by  twenty-five  feet,  and  the  walls  were  twelve 
feet  thick.  Within  this  wall,  impervious  to  sound 
or  impression  from  without,  the  students  of  this 
'"Tree  met.    The  chamber  was  so  arranged,  with 


OF  ATLANTIS.  173 

its  lofty,  arched  roof  and  solid  floor  of  finest 
woods  brought  from  all  quarters  of  the  earth, 
that  the  conditions  of  pure  air  were  fully  met. 
They  who  were  sitting,  sometimes  for  a  shorter 
time,  sometimes  for  days  that  seemed  but  hours, 
listened  enchantedly  to  that  which  was  pro- 
pounded to  them.  There  was  no  lack  of  under- 
standing from  crudeness  or  from  any  disarrange- 
ment of  the  physical  conditions  of  harmony  and 
peace,  which  all  men  must  have,  to  be  at  the 
highest  point  of  perception. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THUS  sitting,  the  Forty-five  were  arranged 
in  four  rows  of  seats,  eleven  in  each  row, 
arranged  eliptically,  facing  a  raised  dais, 
on  which  sat  the  Elder  Brother,  during  the  hours 
of  instruction.  The  rows  of  seats  were  raised 
one  behind  the  other,  and  thus  gave  perfect  and 
unobstructed  liberty  of  sight  and  perception  to 
the  Brothers  who  sat  upon  them  in  the  order  of 
their  ages.  There  was  always  close  to  the  seat 
of  the  Elder  Brother,  another  seat,  and  this, 
empty  always  to  personal  sense;  to  those  who 
could  see  on  the  psychic  plane  was  filled  by  an 
Elder  Brother  from  the  Invisible,  as  a  mentor 
and  guide,  as  an  influencer  of  the  Elder  Brother 
of  the  visible,  to  receive  \\hatever  might  be  given 
either  from  his  own  knowledge,  or  by  his  com- 
ing in  touch  more  readily  with  the  invisible ;  thus 


OF  ATLANTIS.  i75 

receiving  out  of  the  realms  of  the  Invisible  that 
which  vv^as  needed  for  instruction  on  any  and  all 
of  the  mortal-touched  planes. 

A  narrow  staircase  was  arranged  in  the  thick 
wall,  which  led  to  the  chamber  of  the  Forty-five, 
and  a  sliding  door,  opening  to  the  lightest  touch 
of  those  who  knew,  admitted  into  the  chamber. 
This  chamber  was  ceiled  and  floored — ^^sides,  top 
and  bottom,  with  wood  they  obtained  from  the 
country,  to  be  known  in  the  later  days  as  South 
America,  but  then  a  large  island.  It  was  of  a 
peculiar  hardness,  dark  red  in  color,  and  suscep- 
tible of  the  most  brilliant  and  lasting  polish.  It 
was  so  well  fitted  together  that  it  seemed  like 
one  piece.  They  who  were  the  builders  con- 
trolled the  elemental  force,  which  was  able  to  do 
persistently  and  in  the  finest  manner,  whatever  it 
was  set  to  do.  So  when  the  door  was  closed,  it 
appeared  as  if  they  were  in  a  shell  from  which 
there  was  no  possible  escape.  There  was  no  dan- 
ger from  any  outer  accident,  except  possibly  an 


176  OUR  STORY 

earthquake.  But  for  many  hundred  years  no 
earthquake  had  occurred.  For  many  years  to 
come  none  was  predicted  by  even  the  wisest  as- 
trologers of  the  Temple.  The  doorway  by  which 
they  entered  was  in  the  open  end  of  the  oval  upon 
which  the  seats  were  placed.  Within  the  whole 
chamber,  at  distances  far  enough  to  protect  the 
sight  of  those  who  were  receiving  instruction, 
from  any  bewilderment  by  the  light,  points  of 
emanating  brilliancy  were  placed.  What  these 
points  of  light  were  composed  of,  hundreds  of 
men  in  the  days  to  come,  will  give  several  years 
of  their  lives  to  know,  and  never  be  able  to  find 
out. 

Before  these  facts  shall  have  again  come  into 
the  possession  of  men,  there  will  have  been  those 
who  will  have  come  to  the  place  where  their 
hands  have  laid,  almost  upon  the  thing  they  crave 
and  so  covet.  These  lights,  held  as  it  were  by 
invisible  torch-bearers,  could  be  perfectly  sta- 
tionary for  any  length  of  time,  or  they  could  be 


OF  ATLANTIS.  177 

moved  as  there  was  necessity  for  concentrating  or 
diffusing  that  which  they  gave  forth. 

At  times,  in  full  view  of  the  whole  number, 
would  come  up  something  acting  as  a  reflector  of 
thought  action  and  picturing  either  the  Past  or 
the  Future.  This  great  transparent  blackboard, 
so  to  speak,  so  you  may  understand  just  what  I 
am  trying  to  say,  held  itself  in  place,  or  seemed 
to  dissolve  under  the  will  of  those  who  were  in- 
structing, and  while  one  could  see  through  it,  it 
was  an  impermeable  barrier  to  any  passage 
through  it;  no  thick  bar  of  brass  could  more 
stoutly  resist.  While  there  was  nothing  of  it 
that  appealed  to  the  sense  of  sight,  there  was  still 
such  force  that  it  served  as  an  obstruction,  al- 
though invisible.  Upon  this  clear  sheet,  of  size 
large  enough  to  fill  the  whole  twenty-five  feet, 
rising  up  as  might  be  necessary,  for  the  accom- 
modation of  whatever  was  thrown  upon  it,  out 
of  the  mental  conditions  of  those  who  taught  un- 
der the  la\\-  set  up  by  those  who  in  the  highest 


178  OUR  STORY 

Chamber  of  the  Temple,  watched  and  waited 
through  the  Centuries.  So  in  the  times  of  in- 
struction, the  Elder  Brother  detailed  whatsoever 
should  come  to  him  out  of  his  own  mentality,  or 
should  be  given  him  out  of  the  records  of  the 
Past,  or  out  of  that  which  should  be  the  result 
of  sequence,  in  the  Future.  At  the  same  time  he 
demonstrated  upon  this  invisible  screen,  exactly 
as  he  described,  both  as  to  what  had  already  oc- 
curred, or  might  take  place.  Did  he  desire  to 
unfold  a  line  of  sequence,  then  as  he  talked  of 
the  sequence  in  a  particular  way,  the  whole  com- 
pany would  see  that  all  the  sequences  were  alike; 
that  everything  moved  forward  on  the  line  of  the 
One  Creative  Thought,  in  perfect  harmony  for 
accomplishment  of  all  events  in  manifestation. 
The  things  that  seemed  to  happen  were  due  to 
the  perception  of  the  investigator,  and  to  the  non- 
manifestation  at  the  same  time  of  the  peculiari- 
ties appearing  in  the  individual  through  which 
cognizance  was  made. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  179 

But  let  us  describe  one  session :  Minute  by 
minute,  there  have  been  persons  coming  through 
the  door  into  the  chamber,  which  is  held  in  the 
softness  of  a  dim,  pleasant  twilight,  not  clear 
enough  for  perception,  except  at  close  range. 
They  have  quietly  and  without  speaking,  come 
forward  each  to  the  seats,  where  they  have  evi- 
dently been  assigned,  then,  sitting,  have  restfully 
waited  in  silence  and  peace.  In  coming  in,  they 
have  all  advanced  from  the  door  of  entrance 
across  the  space  where  the  square  of  defonstra- 
tion  was  held,  thus  showing  as  they  came  in,  there 
was  nothing  between  them  and  their  seats. 

They  have  passed  on,  and  all  are  now  seated. 
There  was  not  a  single  absentee.  Such  a  thing 
as  absenteeism  or  tardiness  in  the  workings  of 
the  Great  Temple  was  unknown.  Too  well  they 
knew  the  wonderful  power  of  coxtinuouSj  un- 
broken ACTION.  The  hour  strikes  from  a  sonor- 
ously-toned bell,  semingly  in  the  center  of  the 
room.     To  the  personal  sense,  no  bell  is  visible. 


i8o  OUR  STORY 

It  might  seem  strange  that  we  Atlantians  had 
an}'  idea  of  measuring  time,  but  it  must  be  re- 
m.embered  there  is  nothing  not  known;  nothing 
that  will  ever  be  known ;  nothing  that  the  world 
will  ever  receive,  that  was  not  received  by  those, 
who,  eager  for  knowledge,  were  not  only  eager 
to  understand,  but  to  use.  We  had  perceived  and 
received  all  human  knowledge. 

As  the  hour  strikes  in  the  manner  I  have  de- 
scribed, the  fortj'-four  and  the  Elder  Brother 
looking  up,  perceived  a  form  dim  and  misty  in 
outline,  has  filled  the  chair  of  the  presiding  in- 
structor. Sitting  in  the  position  of  meditation, 
which  in  the  later  times  the  Egyptians  copied  in 
their  Temple  work,  and  left  us  on  record,  on 
their  books  of  stone,  they  concentrate  on  the 
thought  of  unity. 

There  were  three  points  upon  which  they  con- 
centrated in  succession:  Unity,  Harmony  and 
Love,  for  these  three  constitute  the  Unmani- 
fested,  so  they  who  were  in  the  Forty-five  were 


OF  ATLANTIS.  i8i 

taught.  When  the  quickening  of  the  Invisible 
within  themselves  had  become  exalted,  at  a  sign 
from  the  Elder  Brother,  they  stood,  and  making 
a  sign  that  is  recognized  by  both  the  visible  and 
the  invisible,  repeated  words  having  of  them- 
selves potency,  force  and  intense  harmonious  vi- 
bration. These  words  were  reinforced  by  other 
vibrations  resembling  the  rolling  sound  of  a  great 
organ.  It  was  a  reverberation  partly  reflected 
and  partly  responsive,  out  of  the  Invisible  by 
which  they  received  answer,  and  thus  became 
unified  into  the  sense  and  condition  of  desire, 
in  its  most  perfect  form  for  whatever  might  and 
could  be  given  them.  On  this  night  of  which 
I  am  speaking,  the  Elder  Brother  commenced 
describing  the  possibilities  of  unfolding  in  all  who 
were  present;  of  the  unfolding  of  the  Earth's 
condition ;  of  the  things  that  would  bear  down 
in  the  way  of  clouds  and  darkness ;  of  limitation, 
obstruction  and  opposition,  and  as  he  described, 
step  by  step,  that  which  might  come  under  cer- 


i82  OUR  STORY 

tain  circumstances,  the  screen  of  almost  invisible 
material  quivered  and  shimmmered  with  the 
lights  and  shades  passing  over  it.  To  those  who 
perceived  with  only  the  physical  eye,  there  was 
only  a  dancing  of  lurid  fires.  To  each  who  had 
come  into  more  perfect  condition,  it  was  pos- 
sible to  perceive,  not  only  the  play  of  the  light, 
but  the  varying  colors  and  forms  which  lay  be- 
hind the  colors,  not  only  upon  the  pictures  of  the 
scenes,  but  upon  the  scenes  themselves.  The  Fu- 
ture presented  itself  as  the  Eternal  Now.  One 
of  the  Forty-five,  looking  forward,  not  dreaming 
that  all  that  seemed  to  occur,  was  about  to  come 
in  the  close  Future,  hardly  attempting  to  esti- 
mate time,  saw  then,  how  the  Brotherhood  of 
Wisdom,  for  the  Ages,  might  find  itself  for  a  time 
unrepresented  upon  the  earth ;  but,  under  the  ob- 
ligations which  make  the  members  of  the  Broth- 
erhood acting,  living  members,  whether  living  or 
dead,  so  the  membership  in  the  invisible  sought, 
desired  and  brought  about  the     remanifestation 


OF  ATLANTIS.  183 

and  rehabilitation.  All  the  signs  and  points 
made  and  desired  to  be  emphasized,  were  illus- 
trated upon  our  screen.  And  thus,  as  the  time 
went  on,  in  that  which  was  to  be  the  dawn  of  a 
new  recreation,  so  to  speak,  we  perceived  certain 
gatherings  of  the  far  Future  were  also  being  pic- 
tured upon  the  scren.  I  remember  it  all  well, 
for  It  seemed,  as  the  memory  comes  to  me  out  of 
the  Past,  there  was  some  responding  condition 
within  myself,  not  only  did  I  see  It  and  feel  it,  as 
regarding  myself,  but  that  others  would  then 
come  into  it  at  that  time,  whose  presence  and 
help  would  recall  the  now,  but  to  be  known  then 
as  ancient  days,  and  they  would  testify  to  the 
truth  of  the  then  pictured. 

I  cannot  tell  you  fully  of  all  the  drapings  and 
decorations  and  precious  metals  that  adorned 
this  chamber,  but  you  may  imagine  for  yourselves 
nothing  was  spared  to  make  it  a  fit  place,  both 
in  the  conditions  of  the  visible  and  in  the  po- 
tencies of  the  invisible,  drawn  from  all  over  the 


i84  OUR  STORY 

world  for  the  inculcating  In  its  fullest  and  its 
strongest,  the  truth  of  that  which  will  be  fully 
verified.  They  who  now  in  life,  know  not  only 
of  the  lower,  but  also  of  the  higher,  thus  per- 
ceive the  apparently  futile  in  many  respects  has 
for  its  governing,  impelling  force,  the  strength 
and  power  of  the  ages  behind  it.  All  move  on 
to  fulfill  in  the  completed  outline,  whatever  was 
set  and  designed  to  be  accomplished. 

Thus  the  lessons  given  to  the  Forty-five  were 
either  in  voiced  vibration,  through  the  sense  of 
sight,  or  by  thought  transference.  Whichever 
method  was  used,  the  vibrations  made  themselves 
plainly  visible  to  the  sense  to  which  they  were 
addressed.  Their  vividness  depended  upon  the 
intensity  with  which  the  thought  was  projected. 
But  at  all  times,  during  a  sessison  of  the  Forty- 
five,  there  were  shadows  more  or  less  distinct 
in  outline,  playing  over  this  wonderful  spectrum. 

When  instructions  were  being  received  from 
the  Three  the  play  of  forms  and  colors     were 


OF  ATLANTIS.  185 

something  that  has  never  been  seen  elsewhere  in 
the  whole  world.  The  reflections  then  obtained 
have  really  so  impinged  upon  the  Great  Astral 
Record  that  the  works  accomplished  have  become 
mighty  influences  upon  the  Globe.  The  record 
of  what  these  denizens  of  the  secret  chambers  of 
the  Great  Temple  thought  and  did,  is  one  day 
to  become  supremely  dominant  in  the  affairs  of 
the  world.  As  the  cycle  rises  to  completion,  it 
will  become  more  and  more  potent.  He  w^ho  is 
wise  and  able,  has  thus  given  some  outline. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


1HAVE  tried  thus  far  to  give  you  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  Great  Temple  of  Atlantis  and 
of  the  Tower  that  was  one  of  the  wonders 
of  the  world.  That  which  was  In  sight  was  not 
by  any  means  all ;  even  as  the  tree,  bearing  fruit 
after  its  kind  above  the  earth,  is  by  no  means  the 
largest  nor  most  important  part  of  the  organic 
development.  The  organs  of  growth  and  trans- 
mutation are  hidden  from  the  curious  eyes  of  the 
idle.  So  we  have  in  the  mid-heavens  the  angels 
and  spirits  of  light;  on  earth  mortals  both  visible 
and  invisible;  beneath  the  earth's  surface  are  the 
beings  belonging  to  the  lower  races,  who  have 
never  been  subjugated  by  the  spiritual  powers  of 
such  as  held  sway  in  the  upper  chambers. 

These  elemental  beings  will  be  classed  in  the 
later  day  as  Salamanders,  Water  Spirits,     Ko- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  187 

holds,  Goblins  and  Dwarfs.  They  are  workers 
in  the  Fire,  the  Water  and  the  Earth  or  Rocks. 
It  was  in  the  internal  fires  of  unregisterable  heat, 
that  during  the  latter  days  of  Atlantis,  the  im- 
mense stores  of  gold  and  jewels,  which  the  Tem- 
ple Treasury  held,  were  manufactured  under 
PRIMAL  CONDITIONS.  In  this  also  was  illustrated 
the  great  law  of  Transmutation. 

As  the  Great  Tower  flung  itself  toward  the 
mid-heavens,  pointing  everlastingly  upwards,  it 
indicated  the  constant  search  man  is  making  to 
the  extent  of  his  ability,  for  truth,  light  and  po- 
tency. The  part  of  the  Tower  that  sank  lower 
and  lower  into  the  bowels  of  the  Earth,  pypied 
the  material  and  physical  uses  of  that  which  was 
capable  of  transmutation.  It  also  held  within 
itself  the  lesson  of  the  "Descent  into  Matter" — 
man's  environments.  So  far  as  man  himself  was 
concerned,  it  held  also  the  doctrine  of  the  Three 
Brains.  To  all  the  world,  both  Atlantian  and 
foreign  the  lesson  was:   "In   the  heavens  above 


i88  OUR  STORY 

and  the  earth  beneath,  and  the  waters  under  the 
earth." 

It  has  already  been  said  that  the  whole  city  of 
Atlantis  was  arrayed  in  a  splendor,  whose  glory 
was  never  equaled.  Its  buildings  have  never  been 
surpassed,  either  in  the  symmetry  of  their  archi- 
tecture, in  the  material  used,  or  in  the  tasteful- 
ness  of  its  preparation  and  artistic  designs.  There 
was  also  a  marvelous  exhibition  of  gold  and  jew- 
els, in  a  profusness  carried  up  to  the  verge  of  the 
barbaric. 

These  means  for  personal  adornment,  were 
also  used  by  all  the  people,  even  those  in  the 
humble  walks  of  life,  if  Atlantis  could  be  said  to 
have  had  any  such,  the  relations  of  poverty  and 
riches  long  since  had  ceased  to  press  on  the  at- 
tention of  the  nation.  It  was  evident  in  the  lat- 
ter days  that  some  source  of  almost  limitless  sup- 
ply must  be  easily  accessible.  The  Tower  which 
lifted  proudly  its  head  on  high,  went  down  into 
the  mountains  the  same  distance,  and  the  cellars 


OF  ATLANTIS.  189 

and  sub-cellars  were  occupied  by  beings  who  be- 
longed to  the  lower  races,  who  had  been  sub- 
jugated by  the  spiritual  powers  of  those  who  held 
sway  in  the  upper  chambers. 

None  of  the  uninitiated  knew  for  a  certainty  of 
that  which  was  going  on  within  the  mountain. 
Only  to  the  Three  was  this  knowledge  fully  con- 
fided by  the  Builders.  To  them,  long  ago  all 
material  things  which  are  deemed  of  any  value 
by  mortals,  or  of  any  use  or  importance  what- 
ever, had  ceased  to  be  of  consequence,  only  so 
far  as  they  might  adorn  or  make  beautiful,  either 
the  Temple  or  the  City. 

Underneath  the  Sanctuary,  entered  by  a  door 
opening  into  the  solid  rock,  at  the  rear,  was  a 
flight  of  stairs  leading  down  into  a  chamber  hewn 
out  of  the  rock.  Out  of  this  another  staircase 
led  into  a  similar  chamber,  and  still  another,  and 
another,  and  yet  another  staircase  and  chamber. 

Within  these  chambers  were  curious  imple- 
ments, fashioned  for  use  in  the  operations  of  the 


190  OUR  STORY 

workers.  These  operations  required  the  use  of 
certain  materials,  to  make  the  manifesting  and 
finishing  of  their  work  more  easy.  Their  pro- 
jected spirit  power  brought  back  the  results  pro- 
duced by  the  various  combinations.  Many  of 
these  implements  and  operations  will  come  into 
the  hands  of  the  re-incarnated  Atlantians,  from 
time  to  time,  and  more  of  them  will  not  be  given 
out  except  into  the  hands  of  the  most  trusted  few. 

In  the  First  Cellar,  Spirits  of  the  Air  labored 
and  toiled,  doing  the  will  of  the  Masters. 

In  the  Second  Cellar,  the  Spirits  of  the  Earth 
moved  to  and  fro,  intent  on  carrying  out  that  to 
which  they  were  set. 

In  the  Third  Cellar,  Elementals  whose  forms 
but  thinly  clothed  the  fierce,  blazing  fires  within, 
solved  the  varying  problems  of  metallurgy. 

In  the  Fourth  Cellar,  the  lowest  of  all,  the 
Spirits  of  the  great,  \vater>'  deep,  fashioned  what- 
ever man  needs  and  lays  hold  upon  from  their 
realm,  either  for  use  or  adornment. 


OF  ATLANTIS.  191 

Vast  tunnels  led  into  the  interior  of  the  moun- 
tains and  the  Continent,  from  each  of  these  cel- 
lars. The  spirits  of  the  air  by  a  spiral  course, 
ascended  to  the  highest  points  of  the  mountains, 
and  here  communicated  with  their  fellows  in  the 
outer  world,  receiving  supplies. 

The  tunnel  from  the  Cellar  of  the  Earth  Spir- 
its opened  into  an  inaccissible  part  of  the  moun- 
tain, on  a  little  plateau,  which  was  constantly 
guarded  by  an  impenetrable  veil  of  fog. 

The  tunnel  of  the  Fire  Spirits  led  under  the 
Continent,  diagonally  down  to  the  volcanic  fires 
of  the  Earth. 

The  tunnel  of  the  Water  Spirits  communi- 
cated directly  with  the  seas  by  the  shortest  feasi- 
ble route. 

In  the  center  of  the  mountain  was  a  cave-like 
room,  which  was  the  Treasury  of  the  Temple. 
This  storehouse  communicated  with  all  four  of 
the  tunnels,  and  by  a  secret  entrance,  with  the 
Temple  itself.     It  was  not  only  the  Treasury  of 


192  OUR  STORY 

the  Temple,  but  of  the  nation  as  well. 

He  who  knew  the  secret  of  the  Treasury 
would  stand  in  the  rear  of  the  Moly  Holy  Place, 
at  the  hour  of  high  noon,  on  a  certain  day  of 
the  year,  and  watch  until  by  a  peculiar  arrange- 
ment of  the  polished  marbles,  a  single  ray  of  sun- 
light thrown  from  the  chambers  above  would  be 
reflected  upon  the  wall  at  the  back.  This  could 
only  be  seen  when  the  observer  was  in  a  par- 
ticular position,  and  then  but  for  a  period  of  three 
minutes.  Having  perceived  this,  he  would  turn 
one  quarter  to  the  right,  and  move  seven  steps 
in  a  straight  line,  then  turning  to  his  original 
position,  he  took  five  steps  more,  and  then  turning 
one-quarter  to  the  left,  three  steps  brought  him 
to  an  apparently  blank  wall,  highly  ornamented. 
But  to  him  who  had  the  key,  a  slight  pressure 
on  a  jewel  of  immense  value,  apparently  placed 
there  for  ornamentation,  opened  a  huge  door  of 
rock,  weighing  tons,  but  so  balanced  that  it 
moved  easily  and  without  noise,  and  was  screened 


OF  ATLANTIS.  193 

from  view  by  the  shrine  which  stood  in  front. 
Entering  boldly,  as  soon  as  he  stepped  upon  the 
flagging  inside  the  door,  the  great  stone  settled 
back  into  its  first  position.  It  could  be  opened 
on  the  inside  by  pressing  upon  a  slight  projection 
at  the  back.  Thirteen  times  thirteen  steps 
brought  him  again  to  a  blank  wall,  through  a 
high,  arched  passage,  lighted  by  the  never-dying 
lights  produced  by  the  action  of  positive  and  neg- 
ative earths  combined  with  the  rock,  which  gave 
out  an  electrical  phosphorescent  light,  the  secret 
of  which  perished  with  the  nation,  but  which 
may  be  recovered  at  a  later  day  by  the  chemists, 
as  those  who  are  expert  in  safes,  recover  the  for- 
gotten combination  of  the  locks  thereof.  Once 
more,  he  who  knew  the  secret  spring,  might  open 
and  pass  within.  The  Treasure  Chamber  opened 
to  the  Temple  Inspector  on  the  day  of  the  Vernal 
Equinox,  when  the  sun  went  down  in  the  West. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


IT  was  a  sight  that  met  his  gaze,  which  an 
avarice-tainted  soul  would  never  be  al- 
lowed to  contemplate.  Great  heaps  of 
gold,  silver  and  aluminum,  the  method  used  by 
us  for  obtaining  which,  was  the  result  of  con- 
densed electrical  power,  acting  through  sur- 
charged magnets  of  the  finest  steel.  In  the  times 
to  come  the  forces  of  induction  will,  for  a  time, 
be  very  little  understood.  But  the  day  will  come 
when  they  will  have  the  very  best  method  of  ex- 
tracting aluminum  from  the  original  clay  as  their 
secret.  These  stacked  up  heaps  of  the  noble 
metals  were  in  quantity  sufficient  to  last  for  cen- 
turies, nor  had  their  continuous  production 
ceased,  but  every  day  added  to  the  increasing 
store. 

Beside  these,  were  heaps  upon  heaps  of  price- 


OF  ATLANTIS.  195 

less  jewels,  some  of  them  still  warm  from  the 
fires  of  earth  and  water,  in  which  they  were  crys- 
tallized. Both  the  polished  and  the  uncut  glit- 
tered and  shone  here  in  the  light  which  was  as 
full  and  strong  as  in  the  passage-way. 

Here  the  workers  in  the  various  cellars  de- 
posited the  results  of  their  labors.  From  here 
the  civil  rulers  received  whatever  they  needed, 
upon  sudden  pressure,  in  their  traffic  with  all  out- 
side nations  of  the  earth.  But  there  were  also 
in  the  city  their  own  storehouses  and  treasuries 
of  wealth.  This  was  only  that  which  belonged 
to  the  Temple,  and  was  the  result  of  the  labors 
of  the  servants  of  the  Temple.  In  case  of  neces- 
sity, the  civil  rulers  could  draw  upon  the  Temple 
for  reserves  in  any  amount. 

No  human  eye  hath  seen,  nor  any  tongue  de- 
scribed the  immensity  of  the  wealth  lying  to  this 
day,  in  that  strong,  mountain  treasury  beneath 
the  waves.  There  is  enough  gold  lying  in  it  to 
destroy  the  value  of  the  gold  now  in  use  upon 


196  OUR  STORY 

the  earth.  But  when  the  day  of  its  discovery 
shall  come  it  will  belong  to  a  nation,  who  shall 
have  so  purified  itself  from  avarice  that  there 
shall  be  no  karmic  weight  transferred  from  this 
treasure  to  the  shoulders  of  its  finders. 

Upon  the  inner  door  that  opens  into  this  treas- 
ury rests  a  seal.  Upon  this  seal  is  the  following 
inscription:  "The  potent  Will  of  the  Most 
Mighty  holds  this  treasure  safely,  until  the  time 
of  the  restoration  shall  come.  The  Angel  of  the 
waters  has  charge  of  it." 

It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  jew- 
els and  gold  were  all  manufactured  by  the  oc- 
cupants of  the  cellars,  and  that  it  was  the  reflec- 
tion out  of  the  Astral  light,  on  the  vision  of  the 
clear-sighted,  that  made  so  many  earnest  believ- 
ers in  the  transmutation  of  base  metals  into  gold 
and  jewels. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE  manner  of  adjustment  and  Convoca- 
tion was  after  the  following  fashion :  As 
has  already  been  stated,  the  priesthood 
had  charge  of  the  education  of  the  people.  There 
were  some  better  fitted  for  one  thing  than  an- 
other, as  even  at  the  present  day.  But  those  who 
were  especially  gifted  with  understanding,  who 
combined  reverence  with  intense  desire  for  the 
knowledge  of  that  which  was  unseen  and  hid- 
den, wherever  found,  were  transferred  to  the 
temple  service,  and  this  was  the  first  step  in  the 
separation  of  the  wheat  from  the  chaff. 

Those,  who  in  their  training,  as  part  of  the 
Temple  family,  exhibited  a  still  higher  degree  of 
intelligence  and  perception  were  again  set  aside 
for  the  Forty-five,  and  again  in  the  same  manner 
for  the  Fifteen.     The  selection   for  the  higher 


198  OUR   STORY 

Chambers  followed  in  the  same  order,  from 
»hose  best  developed  and  adapted  to  the  work  to 
be  done.  The  training  of  the  Forty-five  was  first, 
submission  to  unseen  guidance,  in  a  more  intense 
'  degree  than  as  ordinary  scholars  of  the  Temple. 
When  they  had  reached  the  point  where,  be- 
cause they  were  asked,  they  took  pains  to  think 
out  along  any  line  that  ought  or  might  be  de- 
sired, their  power  for  broad,  intense  contempla- 
tion had  increased  until  their  meditations  had  be- 
come second  nature. 

The  next  step  was  concentration.  Notice  the 
steps,  submission,  meditation,  concentration. 
When  the  thought  was  well  massed  and  the  vi- 
brations were  uniform  and  persistent,  then  they 
were  taught  to  project  the  concentered  thought 
which  had  been  the  essence  of  their  meditations. 
As  the  absolute  Unity,  IT  meditates,  as  the  Di- 
vine Ideation,  It  concentrates,  as  the  Creative 
Thought,  It  projects.  So  nearly  as  the  Earth- 
dweller  may  follow  this  line  of    procedure,     so 


OF  ATLANTIS.  199 

nearly  will  he  be  able  to  lay  hold  of  the  Unseen 
force  and  make  it  available  for  all  good  pur- 
poses. 

Years  of  discipline  in  the  Forty-five  and  still 
later  in  the  Fifteen,  made  each  member  of  the 
Seven  ready  and  expert  in  these  labors.  The  per- 
fection was  carried  still  farther  in  the  Five, 
where  they  practiced  the  attracting  of  the  vibra- 
tions of  unseen  force,  of  any  kind  whatever  into 
alignment  with  their  own  projection,  thus  con- 
trolling the  powers  of  the  great  names. 

It  was  as  if  workmen  taking  a  ball  of  soft 
metal  from  the  crucible  or  furnace,  should  whirl 
it  rapidly  in  the  air,  until  it  had  assumed  a  cer- 
tain form,  and  then  launch  it  forth  to  fulfill  their 
will. 

But  to  the  Three,  belonged  the  directing  of  all 
the  force  thus  gathered.  Nor  was  there  allowed 
to  be  any  chance  for  mistake,  not  even  a  clash- 
ing thought  in  the  minds  of  the  Three.  It  was 
always  determined  by  the  casting  of  lots,    who 


200  OUR  STORY 

should  control  the  outward  moving  of  the  vibra- 
tions at  any  Convocation,  and  to  the  pov^^er  of 
the  one  of  the  Three,  the  other  two  added  their 
potency.  The  regular  Convocations  were  under 
the  Full  Moon  of  each  month.  But  the  special 
Convocations  were  under  the  will  of  the  Three. 
When  special  Convocation  was  desired,  the  word 
given  at  the  last  Convocation  was  whispered  to 
each,  out  of  the  Invisible,  in  such  a  manner,  that 
all  could  recognize  and  understand  the  call. 

At  the  close  of  the  Convocation,  the  Elder 
Brother  of  each  Section  received  from  the  Elder 
Brother  of  the  highest  Section,  a  word  like  this: 
"Myld."  This  the  Elder  Brother  communicated 
to  the  inner  sense  of  the  instructed  (it  never  being 
spoken  aloud),  as  the  closing  password  of  the 
session. 

If  there  was  a  special  Convocation,  then,  to 
each  one,  came  out  of  the  Silence,  the  Word  to 
the  inner  ear,  and  thereby  not  only  was  the  day 
named,  but  the  hour  was  fixed,  being  always  at  a 


OF  ATLANTIS.  201 

certain  distance  from  the  Sun's  setting.  If  there 
was  no  special  Convocation,  then  at  the  nxt  regu- 
lar meeting,  each  one  present  at  the  opening,  in 
succession,  in  low  breath,  pronounced  the  given 
word,  so  that  which  had  been  given  out,  was 
again  recalled. 

The  work  was  formally  opened  in  the  upper 
Chamber  by  the  Three.  At  the  first  word  of  in- 
vocation, the  "Center  of  Fire"  glowed  and 
flashed,  and  whatever  had  been  planned  or  ar- 
ranged for,  needing  potency  was  apportioned 
amongst  the  lower  chambers.  In  the  chamber 
of  the  Five,  the  polished  marble  slabs  reflected 
the  orders.  In  the  chamber  of  the  Seven,  the 
notes  of  the  bell,Jike  the  tones  of  some  sweet  har- 
mony, told  the  story.  But  to  the  trained  inner 
car  of  the  Elder  Brother,  in  the  Fifteen,  as  by 
inspiration,  came  that  which  was  necessary  to  be 
done. 

There  was  no  hesitation  in  compliance,  no 
timidity  in  obedience,  and  no  delay  in     action. 


202  OUR  STORY 

The  gathered  force  of  the  whole  nation,  in  charge 
of  the  Forty-five  were  sent  forward  to  the  Fif- 
teen, and  there,  as  intensified  was  passed  on  to 
the  Seven,  where,  bound  together,  solidified  and 
shaped,  the  projected  potency  was  again  handed 
on  to  the  Five,  who  harmonized  the  activity  of 
the  potent  vibrations  with  the  vibrations  of  the 
Universe.  Thus  changed,  from  the  Special  to 
the  Universal,  it  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
Three,  who  uniting  their  force  in  the  One,  stood 
ready  to  hurl  into  space,  in  all  the  awfulness  of 
power,  this  projection  of  the  concentrated  po- 
tency of  a  nation,  by  which  they  could  really  ex- 
pect to  hold  and  keep  everything  they  had  seized 
upon. 

The  matter  of  training  cannot  be  understood 
from  mere  description.  Only  when  students  at- 
tempt of  themselves  to  bring  their  mental  condi- 
tions under  subjugation,  can  be  understood,  how 
long  it  takes  to  accomplish  the  wonderful  things 
done  by  our  Ancient  Brothers. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THEY  who  ruled  in  Atlantis,  as  the  priest- 
hood, were  successful  in  guiding  the 
ship  of  State  wisely  and  fortunately,  so 
long  as  they  considered  the  interests  of  the  whole 
nation  as  one.  As  long  as  they  put  aside  the  sense 
of  separateness,  w^hile  they  only  sought  for  wis- 
dom, that  the  benfit  growing  out  of  it  might  be 
utilized  in  common  by  all  the  nation,  who  looked 
for  light  and  guidance  from  them,  all  was  well. 
As  long  as  the  Three,  Five  and  Seven,  with  the 
Fifteen  and  Forty-five  were  separate  and  yet  one, 
the  only  distinction  being,  to  see  who  could  best 
work  with  the  highest  potency  in  the  position 
where  he  was  placed,  satisfied  that  the  well  and 
perfect  doing  and  the  acquiring  of  knowledge 
from  experience,  would  bring  the  reward  that 
comes  always  to  attainment. 


204  OUR   STORY 

They  looked  to  the  perfect  doing,  and  not  to 
the  result,  and  out  of  this  desire  grew  the  con- 
centration of  potency  in  their  hands,  which  made 
them  the  one  nation  of  the  earth  exceeding  all 
others  in  the  unravelling  of  the  hidden  myster- 
ies. But  it  was  not  a  task  of  idle  floating,  but 
sometimes  of  fierce,  desperate  warfare  in  the  do- 
mains of  the  Invisible.  As  one  point  after  an- 
other unfolded  to  their  perceptions,  those  who 
held  guard  over  the  hidden  truths,  or  those  who 
wrought  ignorantly  or  malevolently  to  confuse 
mortal  understanding,  used  every  effort  to  up- 
set, and  if  it  were  possible,  to  cut  off  the  keys  of 
the  Universal  principles.  And  it  was  many 
years,  aye  centuries,  before  they  had  compassed 
the  fact  that  numbers  harmoniously  united  and 
agreed  upon  a  certain,  single  point,  on  spiritual 
lines,  were  just  as  powerful  as  the  combinations 
on  the  physical  plane,  with  the  difference  that  if 
spiritual  conditions  were  once  perfectly  trained 
and  harmonized,  there  could  be  no  defection  noi 


OF  ATLANTIS.  205 

sudden  weakness,  for  weakness  is  in  no  sense  a 
spiritual  attribute.  While  an  army,  or  other  mass 
of  physical  conditions  might  at  any  time  be  stam- 
peded. 

Therefore,  in  all  the  work,  none  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  separate  and  secret  assemblies  until 
the  overcoming  of  the  body  and  its  desires  was 
far  advanced,  thus  leaving  the  Spirit  a  clear  field 
in  which  to  operate. 

Another  point,  so  soon  as  the  occult  ideas  and 
thoughts  were  strongly  developed,  it  served  as 
a  magnet  for  those  who  were  in  or  on  the  same 
lines  of  thought,  both  from  the  incarnating 
spheres,  and  also  from  other  points  upon  the 
earth,  where  lamps  lighted  from  the  Atlantian 
torch,  by  its  inspiring  reflection,  had  stimulated 
those  who  came  within  its  reach,  to  a  higher  and 
more  vigorous  search.  Knowing  of  Atlantis, 
they  gravitated  thither,  and  here  they  would 
have  remained  and  shared  with  Atlantis  the  fate 
that  overtook  her,  blotting  out  for  a  time  from 


206  OUR   STORY 

the  earth,  all  the  knowledge  that  went  before, 
had  not  those,  who  in  the  Silence  of  the  Unseen, 
watched  and  foreseen  the  cataclysm  (but  not  its 
cause),  worked  to  scatter  abroad  upon  the  earth, 
enough  to  become  the  seed  and  salt  of  salvation 
for  the  generations  that  have  followed. 

In  all  the  movements  of  the  earlier  day,  the 
segregation  and  massin<2;  unavoidably  led  to  the 
pressing  forward-  to  the  front,  upon  the  develop- 
ment, along  the  new  lines,  of  some  one  who 
could  become,  under  inspiration,  a  leader.  This 
was  all  well,  excpt  as  the  world  always  resents 
and  resists  the  aggressiveness  of  new  ideas,  with 
the  knife,  the  fagot,  the  scaffold,  and  in  later 
days  with  the  subtiler  force  of  mind,  thus  crush- 
ing, torturing  and  destroying  the  instruments  or 
leaders. 

They  who  were  the  depositaries  of  knowledge 
for  the  time  being,  thus  suffered  ignominious 
death.  The  knowledge  itself  has  been  in  great 
danger  from  the  machinations  of  secret  enemies, 


OF  ATLANTIS.  207 

of  total  eradication  from  the  earth  and  the  per- 
ceptions of  its  inhabitants.  This  was  likely  to 
happen  before  its  firm  establishment  could  be  ac- 
complished. This  fact  was  well  known  and  un- 
derstood by  the  malign  forces.  Upon  this  knowl- 
edge they  acted,  again  and  again,  seeking  to  have 
the  leaders  in  occult  movements  either  bring  de- 
struction upon  themselves  or  have  others  entirely 
cut  them  off. 

Therefore,  those  having  this  matter  in  charge, 
have  resolved  instead  of  teaching  men  through 
the  tongue  and  brain  of  a  Brahma,  or  a  Jesus, 
His  place  should  be  supplied  by  a  sodality  of 
many  welded  into  one.  But  even  her  they  stand 
face  to  face  with  another  obstacle.  It  has  been 
an  essential,  that  if  the  truth  be  preserved,  indi- 
viduality must  increase  in  its  perception  and 
reality,  and  in  the  latter  days  they  will  be  con- 
fronted with  the  intense  individuality  of  the 
people,  who  are  confused  and  overcome  by  the 
sense  of  separateness.     They  who  seek  to  study 


208  OUR  STORY 

on  these  lines,  and  to  gain  wisdom,  must  as  it 
were,  train  the  units,  made  up  of  members,  into 
a  oneness  or  individuality  of  the  whole  and  thus 
shall  be  born  a  new  MESSIAH,  or  a  new  Truth. 
The  Christos  of  that  Great  Cycle,  will  be  a 
union  of  many  individuals,  or  a  nation  who  shall 
stand  as  the  representatives  of  the  new  unfold- 
ment  of  Truth. 

In  the  Record  of  the  Adepts,  there  is  a  vision 
described  as  seen  by  one  of  the  Mighty  Ones; 
of  an  image  whose  head,  body  and  limbs  were 
made  up  of  different  metals,  and  the  feet  were 
of  iron  and  aluminum.  Each  of  these  metals 
represented  a  Messianic  age,  a  new  Truth,  and 
an  Empire  directly  relatinfg  to  some  manifesta- 
tion of  that  truth.  These  will  represent  the 
leaders  of  the  previous  dispensations,  and  then 
follows  the  vision,  a  stone  cut  out  of  the  moun- 
tain without  hands,  which  represents  a  nation 
fashioning  itself,  until  it  shall  have  obtained 
MESSIAHSHIP,   and   thus  more  powerful,   it 


OF  ATLANTIS.  209 

shall  overshadow  in  its  manifestation  and  dis- 
pensation all  that  has  come  before.  ALL  who 
are  looking  toward  the  light,  ALL  who  are  seek- 
ing unselfishly  for  wisdom,  must,  as  constituent 
parts  of  that  nation,  attain  such  light,  such  wis- 
dom ;  and  drawing  closer  and  closer  together, 
like  drops  of  mercury  when  they  touch,  they  shall 
become  as  one.     For  this  we  work  and  wait. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


AMONG    the    archives   of    that    time    and 
country  has  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
our    present    generation,    the    following 
prophecy : 

"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  those  days,  in 
which  the  highest  knowledge  that  has  ever  been 
given  to  the  world,  shall  be  seized  upon  by  the 
few,  and  if  rightfully  and  truthfully  held  for  the 
many,  will  bring  to  all  those  who  shall  come 
upon  the  earth,  wisdom,  blessing  and  growth. 
But  there  must  also  be  an  overcoming  of  the 
natural  and  physical,  which  will  bring  disturb- 
ance and  sore  distress,  because  the  physical  yields 
not  to  the  rule  of  the  Spirit,  without  much  resist- 
ance. All  progress  in  the  soul's  career  is  stim- 
ulated by  the  instinct  of  the  Spirit  to  return  to  the 
condition  of  its  first  powers  and  estate,  before  it 


OF  ATLANTIS.  211 

should  have  individualized  itself  from  the  ONE. 
It  is  no  sin,  nor  crime  to  seek  to  know,  by  all 
the  means  within  the  power  of  the  Spirit  to  grasp 
or  undertake.  Nor  does  the  ONE  resent  as  sin, 
such  attempts.  On  the  contrary,  IT  intends  that 
they  who  have  become  individualized,  shall  sooner 
or  later,  enter  into  all  knowledge.  That  is  the 
perfect  attainment.  It  shall  come  to  pass,  who- 
ever fits  the  self  for  knowledge,  shall  receive  it, 
but  whoever  attempts  to  grasp  potency  without 
being  fitted  to  handle  it,  serious  consequences  will 
ensue,  and  the  thing  already  attained,  may  be 
taken  away.  There  can  be  no  sin  for  those  who 
shall  have  knowledge,  in  the  grasping  of  the  very 
highest  in  their  pursuit;  but  if  they  shall  seek, 
before  they  have  made  themselves  ready  to  grasp 
that  which  is  withheld,  simply  by  their  own  force 
of  potency,  disregarding  the  consenting,  or  the 
law  of  the  ONE,  then  there  will  come  dire  re- 
sults, or  if  it  so  happen  that  the  nation  shall  have 
so  far  advanced  that  their  knowledge  would  be 


212  OUR  STORY 

dangerous  to  the  other  nations  of  the  world,  in 
its  use,  then  will  it  be  withdrawn.  But  this  is 
true,  that  the  physical  man  is  of  no  value,  only 
as  an  agent  in  the  computation  of  the  happenings 
apon  the  earth.  While  it  might  seem  to  man  an 
awful  thing  that  millions  of  bodies  should  cease 
to  exist,  there  was  nothing  in  that  issue  that  could 
be  charged  against  the  leaders.  That  was  some- 
thing distinct,  by  itself,  and  something  that  ful- 
filled the  law.  The  thing  for  which  the  leaders 
sufFered  was  disobedience  of  the  law,  which  denied 
to  the  created  the  forceful  taking  from  the  ONE, 
any  knowledge,  for  which  the  taker  is  not  pre- 
pared. 

When  limited  power  meets  Universal  potency, 
there  can't  be  but  one  issue.  So  now  under- 
stand, there  was  no  sin,  but  simply  the  outcome 
of  the  law  of  the  Universe.  Even  the  intense 
desire,  which  might  seem  a  sin,  was  in  one  sense 
lawful,  and  the  result  of  causes  implanted  by 
the   Creative   Thought   itself.     They   were   not 


OF  ATLANTIS.  213 

responsible,  but  they  were  the  instruments.  It 
was  necessary  that  the  law  should  be  proved.  It 
has  always  been  a  saying  of  the  Wise  Ones,  that 
those  things  which  seem  to  be  great  disasters  to 
the  earth-dwellers,  must  come  to  pass,  and  in- 
struments must  be  used  for  that  purpose.  But 
these  instruments  standing  in  the  front,  must 
suffer  for  that  which  they  have  provoked. 

As  to  the  outlook  for  accomplishment.  The 
instruments  of  the  mighty  forces  of  the  Unseen 
evidently  have  not  developed  the  strength  we 
desire,  nor  that  is  necessary,  for  the  perfect 
culmination.  Until  further  training  can  develope 
proper  concentration,  they  seek  to  bridge  over  and 
to  hold  as  much  as  possible  of  that  which  has 
already  been  gained. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


By  way  of  addenda,  and  to  show  that  this  book 
has  authoritative  substance  for  its  assertions  and 
information,  we  give  our  readers  a  couple  of 
clippings  from  the  mass  of  newspaper  flotsam 
and  jetsam,  of  the  last  years. 

The  following  is  the  Maya  account  of  the 
destruction  of  Atlantis,  from  Dr.  Augustus  Le 
Plongeon's  rendering  of  the  Troano  manu- 
script : 

"The  year  six  Kan,  on  the  eleventh  Muluc, 
in  the  month  Zac,  there  occurred  terrible  earth- 
quakes, which  continued  without  intermission 
until  the  thirteenth  Chuen.  The  country  of  the 
hills  of  mud,  the  'land  of  Muj'  was  sacrificed. 
Being  twice  upheaved,  it  suddenly  disappeared 
during  the  night,  the  basin  being  continually 
shaken  by  volcanic  forces.     Being  confined,  these 


OF  ATLANTIS.  215 

caused  the  land  to  sink  and  rise  several  times  and 
in  various  places.  At  last,  the  surface  gave  vi^ay, 
and  the  ten  countries  were  torn  asunder  and 
scattered  into  fragments ;  unable  to  withstand  the 
force  of  the  seismic  convulsions,  they  sank  with 
sixty-four  millions  of  inhabitants,  eight  thousand 
years  before  the  writing  of  this  book." 

The  other  extract  is  of  one  of  the  buildings 
which  reincarnated  Atlantians  put  up,  when  they 
held  sway  in  the  land  of  the  Nile,  centuries  after 
the  destruction  of  their  own  beloved  country: 

"Some  months  ago,  while  workmen  were  en- 
gaged in  an  attempt  to  restore  the  partly  fallen 
Hypnostyle  Hall  of  the  great  Temple  of  Karnac, 
in  Egypt,  eleven  columns  gave  way  and  fell. 
This  was  some  months  ago.  Thirteen  columns 
had  fallen  in  ancient  times,  and  it  was  while  prep- 
arations for  their  restoration  were  being  made, 
that  the  others  fell,  and  three  others  were  so 
shaken  as  to  compel  removal. 

"Our  archaeological  readers  will  be  delighted 


2i6  OUR  STORY 

to  learn  that  hundreds  of  Arab  laborers,  under 
the  direction  of  able  engineers,  are  now  engaged 
in  restoring  those  ancient  ruins,  the  largest  and 
best  preserved  of  any  in  Egypt  which  have 
reached  these  times. 

"All  of  these  twent^'-seven  columns  will  be 
reconstructed  and  placed  in  their  original  posi- 
tion. The  uppermost  member  of  each  column 
weighs  1242  tons.  The  architraves  weigh  25 
tons  each. 

"Modern  engineering  processes  are  not  equal  to 
the  task  of  reconstructing  this  work,  so  a  huge 
inclined  plane,  requiring  100,000  cubic  meters 
of  earth,  after  the  manner  of  the  ancient  arch- 
itects, will  be  constructed  and  removed  when  the 
work  is  finished,  which  it  is  expected  will  be  com- 
pleted by  May  of  1 904. 

"In  December  last  M.  Legran,  in  charge  of 
the  work,  came  upon  a  wonderfully  beautiful  bust 
of  one  of  Egypt's  olden  gods.  Other  portions 
of  the  statue  have  subsequently  come  to  light,  and 


OF  ATLANTIS.  217 

it  is  hoped  the  residue  may  be  found  and  restored 
to  its  entirety,  save,  possibly,  a  small  piece  to 
complete  one  of  the  legs.  This  statue,  labeled 
'Khonsu  of  Thebes,  God  of  the  Day,  will  be 
pieced  in  the  reconstructed  Temple,  and  it  is 
expected  other  treasures  of  ancient  art  will  be 
unearthed  in  the  farther  removal  of  the  debris 
of  ages  which  has  accumulated  in  these  ruins." 


FINIS 


^^ 


